Persona 3: Off Set!
by Wherever Girl
Summary: A series of drabbles about what the cast and crew of the game/movie do in their spare time.
1. Off the Set

I come baring a new story-series about _Persona 3 FES!_

I'm currently playing the game… but I ended up finding out how it ends and ended up bummed out. (For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about… don't ask).

So now I'm writing a fic to relieve myself of sadness.

Some write eulogies. Some write 'AU' fics. Some… probably ended up going with the more 'dark' ending and decide to go with that…

But, I'm going to do a 'fourth-wall-break' type of story.

In this series of drabbles, the characters live 'on-set' of the setting for the movie/game series; basically, what all they do in their free time when they're not on-camera.

Think of it as watching 'extra videos' in the control room, in a way.

So, yup. This is my way of coping. Hope you guys enjoy!

(seriously, though, the ending gave me the feels real bad…)

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Cut! Great shot, everybody! Okay, move it out, people! We'll shoot the next scene Monday!" the director, Noriaki Akitaya, said through the megaphone at the end of the final scene. He turned to Akihiko, as he was walking over to the refreshment table. "Hey, Sanada, great work on the battle-sequence. Glad that injury of yours finally healed- I was worried we'd have to re-edit the script!"

Akihiko rolled his eyes- the director was referring to the first two weeks of shooting, when he had slipped up in one of his stunt-moves and suffered the injury fans would find out about in the game. Of course, since they were on a deadline and had to shoot something, they had edited in the accident in order to save time. "Yeah, well, that won't happen again with me," Akihiko said.

"Yeah, they'd probably have to give you a death-scene, heh heh," Shinjiro cracked, sipping a coffee. He then grimaced. "Ugh, who made the coffee this morning? It tastes like shit." He then discarded the styrofoam cup into a waste bin.

"Like what they did with you?" Akihiko cracked back, earning a glare from his friend.

Yukari stretched her back as she, the rest of the actors, and staff cleared the Tartarus set; the special-effects team were double-checking the projectors used to display Shadows and Personas for battle-scenes, before shutting everything down. The teenage girl was glad they had the next three days off to rest up for the next take.

She walked over to Makoto, who already had his headphones on and was heading for the dorm, where not only a few scenes were shot for the movie, but also where the cast were allowed to stay, in order to 'get a feel of the scene' better.

…That, or the director had a twisted sense of humor and wanted to see how all the characters got along off-set, perhaps for some 'special features' commentary to be shown later on.

"So, what are your plans for the weekend?" Yukari asked Makoto- as well as wondering if he heard her through those headphones.

"Ah, nothing much- just going to nap, binge on some junkfood, watch some TV, and chill." Came a response from Junpei instead. "Maybe I'll call up Chidori later, see if she wants to hang out-"

"I wasn't talking to you… and I thought Chidori was out of town for the week?"

Junpei paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, right, she's on vacation. …I wonder if I could get some extra time off?"

"With the tight schedule we have? We're lucky we have the weekend off!" Yukari turned to Makoto, who was now giving her his full attention, headphones now around his neck. "What are you going to do for the weekend?"

Makoto shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe just go over my lines," he replied.

"Again?" Junpei exclaimed, surprised. "Dude, you're always having your nose in the scripts! Take time and chill out, for once. What could it hurt?"

"Maybe suffering humiliation in missing his lines- like you?" Yukari quipped.

Junpei shot her a glare. "When have I ever done that?!"

She scoffed. "Pretty much every day! Tell me, Makoto, how many times has he turned to you, asking what his next line… when he's not 'improvising'?"

"Hey, half of the lines I used were better than what the script had! The writer even admitted it!"

"Last time you said it was the director; time before that, the producer,"

Junpei turned to Makoto. "What do you think, bud? I do better when I wing it, right?"

Makoto sighed. When it came to talking to his friends in real life, he wished it were more like the game where someone chose what he would say- then if he said the wrong thing, someone else would be the one to blame. But, having free will, he had to choose his words carefully- and take responsibility for whatever occurs.

…funny, that's exactly what that contract Pharos showed him said. Huh.

"You do great, Junpei- but you should look over your lines once in a while. Y'know, that way you'll know what to do on the spot and be prepared." Makoto replied. "Especially since there's a lot of dramatic takes we have to do, and some action scenes we should practice for."

"Yeah, I guess… 'Shouldn't put the material to waste- the whole staff can't depend on my own creativity forever, and everyone put a lot of detail into the story so I'd probably piss 'em off." Junpei agreed, smirking in pride.

"How noble of you," Yukari deadpanned, rolling her eyes. "Does this mean you're actually going to rehearse in your free time?"

"He had better," came the voice of Mitsuru, as she walked over. "Akitaya-senpai said if Junpei misses his cue again, he's going to have him killed off and will replace him with Vincent Brooks."

Junpei gave a surprised look. "S-Seriously?! That guy is from an entirely different game!" he argued.

Mitsuru shrugged. "Cameo appearances tend to help ratings. I'd be going over your lines if I were you, Iori,"

Junpei groaned. "Fine… I'll memorize my lines better." He turned to Makoto, grinning- which his friend always took with caution. "Hey, why don't we rehearse together? We can help each other out- you help me memorize my lines, and I'll give you some tips on improvising!"

"…oh, good grief," Yukari sighed.

Junpei ignored her. "What do you say, pal?"

Makoto thought it over. From experiences in the past, he knew working with Junpei wasn't so easy- sometimes they would just skim through the material then hang out, or his friend would go on a rant about a scene that pissed him off, or he would immediately change his mind and do something else.

Though, that was within the first month when they first started shooting for the game. By the time they had wrapped up the final scene, Junpei had become easier to work with- that is, he didn't want to lose his chance at fame and have to 'go to a boring high school for real', which was enough motivation he needed to stay focused… At least, until he had the lines memorized enough to use his free time to goof off.

Plus, sometimes it was fun. Junpei would often have certain lines memorized, and end up improvising just to make his friend laugh; often, he would just do it to get everyone else to laugh- especially after emotional takes. He once claimed he'd probably be the next Robin Williams; Makoto could see it- maybe he wouldn't be as big as the comedy legend, but he always had a way of giving everyone laughs when things got too depressing.

"Sure, we can go over lines for the next scene tonight," Makoto answered.

"Awesome! …Oh, wait, can we make it tomorrow? I wanted to hit the manga shop," Junpei stated.

"Iori…" Mitsuru firmly said, giving him a look that only a strict mother could give.

"Hey, it's just for a couple hours! …Besides, if you stress yourself too much, your mind won't be able to process any information- you gotta give it time to cool down before absorbing more information!"

Yukari gave him a surprised look. "Wow… you actually remembered a lecture from class!" she gasped.

Junpei arched an eyebrow. "…We had a lecture on that?" he cleared his throat. "Oh, yeah! So that's where I heard it, heh heh!"

Yukari sighed, then began walking off. "Forget it. I'm going to go see what Fuuka and Aigis are doing,"

"I will be meeting with Akihiko and Shinjiro to go over our combat-skills for the next action sequence," Mitsuru added. "I want to make sure my agility is flawless,"

"True… that, and someone has to make sure Akihiko doesn't hurt himself again," Junpei joked.

"I HEARD THAT, JUNPEI!" Akihiko shouted, having been standing by a tree talking to Shinjiro at the moment.

"Just kidding! …Sheesh, am I the only one with a sense of humor around here?" He turned to Makoto. "I'm heading to the strip mall, now. Later!" he then took off.

Mitsuru shook her head. "I swear, sometimes I wonder if the creator had second thoughts about Junpei's character…" she muttered.

"Well… he did say he was a crucial-character, because he actually acts like a real teenager." Makoto stated, giving her a concerned look. "Did… did they really say they'd replace him if he botched another line?"

Mitsuru smirked. "No. I just told him that to get him to rehearse,"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Okay, tell me how bad I did guys. This is my first Persona fic, so please be gentle. Since I'm still playing the game, I won't be including the other characters until I get to know them a little better- right now, I'm sticking with the ones I know best.

Also, Vincent Brooks is the protagonist from the game _Catherine._ …I heard he was featured in a Persona game before, so that's where that quip came from.

And again, this is a drabble-series, so it won't be in chronological order. I'm aiming it in the humor category, though I may throw in some fluff here and there.

I'll also try to go easy on the spoilers (might be a little late for that).

Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this so far. If any of you have some ideas for what kind of scenario you'd like to see the cast (or even the staff) go through, just PM me.

Please review, lend me some constructive criticism, but hold back on the flames!


	2. The Haunted Dorm?

Well, good to see a couple people are liking the story so far. :D Thank you guys for the follows and faves!

And now for the next chapter!

Genre: Humor

Setting: When the cast had to rehearse for the first boss of the game.

Synopsis: Weird things have been seen and heard at the dorm late at night, and the group decides to investigate and see if paranormal activity is about.

Disclaimer: Rights to Persona 3 FES belongs to Atlus and its creators.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Aaaaand cut!" Director Akitaya called. "Alright, guys, got a little shaky near the end there, but good effort! …Someone adjust the sound system, I could barely hear Mitsuru through the receiver. And enhance the definition on the boss-shadow, the colors looked muted in some parts! We'll move on to the next scene tomorrow."

Yukari let out a heavy sigh. After a few slip-ups, stuttered lines, and performing stunts on a shaking set, they had finally finished their take for the day. Stepping off the monorail with Makoto and Junpei, she looked at her watch, seeing it was getting late.

"I wish we didn't have to do these stunts at night… Can't we get a late-night set for the studio?" The young teenage girl stated, feeling exhausted.

"Nahh… Akitaya-senpai claims it's more authentic. Plus, we already spent a ton on the Tartarus set," Junpei replied. He then smirked at Yukari. "Why? Are you scared of walking home in the dark?"

Yukari gave him a look. "N-no, I just like to get some sleep… or need I remind you we also have school-work to do?"

Junpei groaned. One of the things he didn't like about the project was how they were required to attend school. The producers claimed that, since players would have to attend school in the game, it was important to get a feel for the environment and to explore the interactions of all the characters and their personalities.

That, and their families claimed that just because their kids were going to be stars of a JRPG didn't mean they should skip on their academics. "It is important to keep up with your studies, so that you may have a future after productions. You can't always depend on fame to get through life," the director agreed.

That was actually what Junpei had been hoping for… but nope. He still had to attend school, regardless of fame. "Man, way to add stress to a long day, Yukari," Junpei sneered in response.

"Wouldn't be so stressful if you actually did your homework, _Stupei_ ," Yukari retorted. "And considering we've got mid-terms coming up, you'd better be catching up!"

Junpei developed a stunned expression, and let out a long groan. "Oh, maaaan! Not mid-terms! We've already got lines to study!"

"Don't worry. I heard that during the week of exams, we won't have any rehearsals. After tomorrow, we'll be getting time off until after mid-terms are over." Makoto told him- startling the two, as he had been quiet the whole time.

"What a relief! …Hey, want to help me cram, buddy? I'll pay you back!" Junpei asked.

"Don't you owe him enough for sneaking you answers in class?" Yukari quipped.

Junpei ignored her. "What do you say, dude?"

Makoto shrugged- as Yukari said, he already helped Junpei in class, so helping him cram wasn't a big deal. "Sure. It'll help me get some extra studying in. We can get to work on it tomorrow night," he replied.

"Awesome! You da man, Mako-san!" Junpei gave his friend a friendly slug in the arm.

Makoto gave a grin in response; once Junpei ran ahead, he cringed and rubbed his arm. "Agh…" he quietly moaned.

Yukari chuckled, patting his other shoulder. "C'mon, lets head back and get some rest- and some ice for your arm, ha ha." She joked.

"Sounds good. (ow)"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~1:05 AM~_

 _*mmmmmoooooaaaaaannnnnn…*_

"Huh…?! Wazzat…?" Yukari gasped, groggily waking up. She saw that she had fallen asleep on the couch in the lounge, her textbook on her lap. She looked around, but didn't see anything.

She sat her textbook on the coffee table, standing up and stretching. _I must've dosed off while studying,_ she thought, stifling a yawn. _That's never happened… I must be working harder than I thought._

 _*creeeaaak*_

 _*shuffle, shuffle*_

She paused at the sound of dragging feet, coming from upstairs. "Huh? Who's there?" she called, walking towards the stairs, but didn't receive a reply.

Somewhat startled, she walked over to the computer desk, where an emergency-button was located under the table; the studio had it installed in case of any break-ins, thefts, or fan-girl attacks. …The latter was the main reason it was installed.

Once she got to the table, however, she paused. Perhaps she was getting worked up too easily- for all she knew, it could have been Makoto walking back from the bathrooms; the reason he didn't answer was probably because he had his headphones on, as he liked to sleep with them on and hardly took them off outside of school and rehearsal.

 _Calm down. Double check to see if there is someone else here, then you can push the button._ Yukari told herself, beginning to walk towards the stairs…

 _*Mmmmmooooaaaaaaaannnnnn….*_

She froze in her tracks at the sound of the inhuman sound- the sound she only heard in ghost movies, or heard in nightmares.

Gasping, she turned around and ran to the table, ducking underneath it and preparing to push the alarm if she had to. She tried to steady her heartbeat, but her paranoia was really getting the best of her tonight.

* _creak… creak… creak…*_

She held her breath, hearing someone come down the stairs, and her hand shakily reached upwards…

"Hello? Who's there?!"

She let out a sigh of relief, hearing Akihiko's voice. "Aki-san, over here," she called in a whisper, peeking out.

Arching an eyebrow, the silver-haired champion of the boxing team walked over, feeling his way through the darkness until he found the light-switch. "Yukari? What are you doing down here? It's after 1 in the morning!"

"I fell asleep while studying. Something woke me up, and I heard it upstairs… did you see anything?"

"No, but I did hear someone walking around. I figured it was you,"

 _*creak, creak, creak, creak*_

They looked up the stairs. "It's heading up to the third floor!" Yukari whispered.

"Let's go find out who it is," Akihiko replied, beginning his way up.

Yukari grabbed his arm. "Hold it- we can't just run up there, ourselves! We should just use the alarm,"

Akihiko shook his head. "We can't ring it unless we know whether or not it's a threat. …For all we know, Pharos is probably just wandering around,"

Yukari considered this; Pharos was a young kid who lived on-and-off the set; he normally helped out on behind the scenes when he didn't have any lines to do. Every couple days before and after his takes, he'd stay at the dorm- sometimes, he'd linger around and act like a ghost (to the rest of the cast, at least).

If Akihiko was right, Pharos was probably just pulling a prank. "If it's him, he probably went back up to the fifth floor. He always hangs out up there," Yukari noted, though wasn't quite convinced. "But, what if it's not him? Those moans I heard sounded too deep to come from him…"

"Which is why I'm going to go check; you stay down here and sound the alarm if it turns out to be trouble," Akihiko began to walk up the stairs, but Yukari held him back. "What?"

"You're still injured. The doctor said you shouldn't overdo it, remember?"

Akihiko groaned. "I'm healed up enough! If I'm allowed to do some action takes after mid-terms, I'm well enough to investigate-"

"And what if you get hurt? Do you really want to risk having to sit out on the next boss-fight?" Yukari's tone was firm and demanding- almost like Mitsuru's, only it struck less fear into someone's heart.

Again, Akihiko groaned. "Fine. What do you suggest we do?"

"You stay down here and activate the alarm if there's an intruder. I'll head upstairs and look around- I'm more light on my feet, so I won't make as much noise,"

"Alright… but be careful. If it turns out to be an intruder, come back down here- or yell, if they spot you,"

Yukari nodded, then- after inhaling deep- walked upstairs quietly. She paused on the second floor, looking around. _Maybe I should wake the others…_ she thought when she looked down at the boys' rooms.

 _*moooaaaan….*_

She let out a small gasp, hearing the noise on the next floor… sounding like it was coming back down. Quickly and as quietly as she could, she made her way to the last door at the end of the hall, knocking. "Makoto? Makoto-san, wake up!" she stated quietly.

The door opened a moment later, and there stood Makoto, half-asleep. "Yukari…?" he asked, groggily. "Wuz go'n on…?"

"There's something upstairs-" Yukari tried to keep her voice steady, but it came out as a squeak.

* _Creak… creak… creak… creak…*_

Gasping, Yukari made her way into Makoto's room, closing the door slightly and peeking out the crack of it. Despite her eyes having adjusted to the darkness, she couldn't see too far down the hall.

Whatever had been going down the stairs seemed to have stopped. She turned to Makoto, who was fully awake by this point. "Something is out there…"

"Some… thing? You sure it's not one of our dorm-mates?" Makoto asked in a whisper.

"Not unless they like to wander the hallways and moan like they were dying,"

 _*mmmoooaaan…*_ the sound in-question came from down the hall.

"See?"

"We should wake the others," Makoto advised.

"Akihiko is already downstairs… Whoever- or whatever- is making these sounds is on the third floor."

* _creak, creak, creak, creak…*_

"Sounds like they're going farther up," Makoto replied after listening carefully. "C'mon, let's go see who or what it is; you can wake Mitsuru-senpai,"

Yukari held back a groan. Waking Mitsuru sounded worse than facing the source of the ghastly sounds. "Let's wait- just in case it's nothing major," she advised.

Makoto shrugged, and they made their way to the stairs. Walking up quietly, they looked around on the third floor- though it was hard to see anything, outside of a bit of moonlight shining through the window.

"It must've gone up to the fourth floor…" Makoto guessed. "…It could be someone heading to the control room, better go wake Mitsuru-senpai."

Yukari bit her lip, but nodded. She hated the idea of waking Mitsuru at this hour, but knew it would be worse to neglect to inform her of an intrusion. As Makoto made his way up the stairs, Yukari headed towards the student-council president's room.

She raised her fist to tap on the door…

 _*shuffle shuffle shuffle*_

 _*Moooaaannn…*_

She froze, looking out of the corner of her eye and seeing that- unbeknownst to her and Makoto- a figure had been standing in the far corner near a couch… and was slowly walking towards her!

Without hesitation, Yukari rushed into her own room, shutting and locking the door and gasping for air.

 _Stay calm… stay calm… stay calm…!_ She tried to tell herself, shaking a bit. At this point, she wished the studio allowed the students to bring their weapons home in case of situations like this!

She scrambled to her dresser, opening the drawer and grabbing a flashlight- wishing she had thought about grabbing one from the supply cabinet downstairs… or, more importantly, having turned on the lights in the halls! Though, the latter probably would have caused the intruder to make an escape, leaving them running loose.

 _*Knock, knock, knock*_

Someone was at her door now; without hesitation, she flung it open and shined the flashlight in the person's face, hoping to blind the intruder-

Only to find it was just Makoto. "Agh! Yukari, it's just me!" he sputtered, covering his momentarily-blinded eyes.

"M-Makoto-san! Sorry… It's just, while you were upstairs, the intruder stepped out of the shadows- I didn't have time to wake Mitsuru-senpai…" she was stammering.

"What is going on in here?" came a stern voice, as Mitsuru herself stepped out of the room. "There had better be a good reason for this-"

"Senpai, we think someone is in the dorm," Makoto explained. "We heard moaning, and Yukari saw a figure down the hall."

"I-It must've went back downstairs- did you see anything, Makoto?" she asked.

"I heard someone going downstairs- I went to investigate, but then I heard your door slam,"

"Why did you not inform me first?" Mitsuru questioned Yukari.

"I was about to, until that figure came out of nowhere- Oh my gosh! It might go after Akihiko!" Yukari suddenly realized. "He was going to sound the alarm if there was trouble!"

"Let's go check," Mitsuru led the way down the stairs.

As soon as they got to the second floor, they saw Akihiko coming from his room with a pair of brass knuckles. "I heard yelling- what happened?" Akihiko asked.

"No time to explain. Did you see anyone come downstairs?"

"I didn't see anyone- I heard moaning, and ran up to my room to grab my brass knuckles,"

Mitsuru gave him a surprised look. "You brought your weapon home?! That's against regulations!"

"They've BEEN here- ever since my injury, they've never left my bedroom drawer. …Good thing, considering we may have trouble,"

"Why didn't you sound the alarm?"

"Because Yukari didn't warn me!"

"I'm warning you now-!" Yukari began to state.

"Shh! Guys, listen!" Makoto gasped.

Everyone paused….

*shuffle, shuffle*

*creeeaaak*

"They're downstairs!" Mitsuru whispered. "Makoto, come with me; Akihiko, go stand by the alarm; Yukari, go wake Iori and make sure he's alright,"

Yukari nodded, and the group split up. She headed for Junpei's room, knocking on the door. "Junpei, wake up! We've got trouble!" she stated, no longer keeping her voice quiet.

But, there was no answer.

"Dammit, Stupei, how can you sleep at a time like this?!" She pounded harder on the door, but no answer. She grew both concerned and aggravated- either something had happened to him, or he was a really heavy sleeper. "JUNPEI!"

"Gah! What?!"

"EEP!" Yukari spun around, seeing Junpei was standing at the end of the hall, wearing a sleeveless shirt and his boxers (something she did NOT want to see at 2 in the morning). "Junpei?! W-Why aren't you in your room?!"

"What, can't a guy use the bathroom whenever he wants? …What's going on? I thought I heard a bunch of yelling and talking,"

"Someone's in the dorm… We've been hearing footsteps and moaning. Whatever was making the sounds is downstairs- the others are investigating. …Didn't you hear anything?!"

Junpei shook his head. "Nahh, I'm a heavy sleeper, so I don't hear much; I was actually half-asleep just now, before you screamed my name," He nodded towards the stairs. "C'mon, let's go check it out!" He sat on the railing, preparing to slide down.

"Hold it, that's not a good idea!"

Junpei scoffed. "C'mon, Yukari, I'm alright- I go down the stairs like this all the time!"

Yukari gave a deadpanned expression. "…In your underwear?"

Pausing, the teen looked down, realizing his lack of pants. "Guh!" he covered himself, and ran to his room; he stumbled out seconds later, pulling on a pair of jeans. "Okay, NOW let's go," He then hopped down the railing and slid down. "Woo-hoo!"

Yukari shook her head- how could her friend still act like a clown in a serious situation?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The lights were on downstairs in the lounge, as the group gathered around the table. "We didn't see anyone in the kitchen or near the computer, and both the back door and front door are locked- we didn't hear anyone go out," Akihiko reported.

Junpei got up and walked over to the cabinet by the stairs, opening it. "They're not in here, either," he replied with a smirk.

"Get serious, Junpei…" Yukari sighed.

"They could be in the bathroom," Makoto noted, looking over at the restrooms. "They might have ran in there after hearing us come down,"

"Let's check it out then," Akihiko agreed.

"Right- we'll check the girl's room, first!" Junpei cracked- though it was hard to tell whether it was just a joke, or if he were seizing the opportunity to peek in there.

"Nice try, Iori. Yukari, come with me, we'll search the girl's restroom. Akihiko-san, you and the others check the boy's restroom," Mitsuru ordered.

Junpei's shoulders slumped. "Aw man…"

Everyone walked into the bathrooms. Mitsuru and Yukari checked all the stalls, but did not see a single trace of a disturbance. After a couple minutes, they met up with the boys in the hall. "Did you guys find anything?" Yukari asked.

"No one was in there, but…" Makoto held something up. "We found this near the sinks."

"M-My textbook?!" Yukari gasped, taking it from Makoto; she flipped through it, to make sure it hadn't been damaged.

"Something you want to explain, Yuka-tan?" Junpei asked with a smirk.

Yukari shot him a look. "Oh, get real!" She looked at the others. "I swear I had left it on the coffee-table! How'd it end up in there?"

Mitsuru walked up the stairs. "I'm going up to the control room. Whoever's been causing these disturbances had to have been caught on-tape," she stated.

Everyone followed Mitsuru up to the control room and checked the tape, seeing it had run out and ejected some time ago. Popping it back in and rewinding it to a point when everyone had left the dorm for rehearsals, they began to watch each screen to find a clue of who broke in.

"…Anyone feel like popcorn?" Junpei quipped.

"Shut it, Stupei!" Yukari hissed.

"Geez! A simple 'no' would've been alright…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After almost two hours of watching- and fast-forwarding- the tape, the group didn't see anything outside of everyone eating breakfast or dinner, Makoto going over lines with Mitsuru, Akihiko practicing his punches, Yukari listening to music while reading, and Junpei raiding the fridge around 11 PM. ("Is that one of my protein bars you're eating?!" Akihiko snapped at that last part).

It got to the point where Yukari was reading in the lounge and dosed off, and that's when the tape ran out. "I knew we should've changed tapes earlier," Makoto stated.

"Yeah, now we'll never know." Yukari sighed.

"Ah, it was probably just Pharos pulling a prank, anyway." Junpei scoffed, leaning back in a chair. "The twerp probably thought it would be funny to get us rattled- I bet he's hiding somewhere now, having a laugh!"

"Akihiko did bring that up… But, we would have seen him- and I doubt he could have made his voice that low to scare us,"

"Unless he had one of those voice-alternating gadgets," Akihiko replied.

"Hey, yeah! I used to have one as a kid!" Junpei said, chuckling afterwards. "I used it to make prank calls all the time. …Until my mom took it away after I kept using it to convince the teachers that 'my dad' wanted me out of school so much,"

"Ugh…" Yukari sighed, rubbing her head. It was way too early to deal with Junpei's remarks.

"There's only one problem with those theories, guys," Makoto spoke up.

"What is it?" Mitsuru asked.

"I talked to Pharos yesterday- on his way to the train-station. He's out of town until this weekend!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~7:30 AM~_

Safe to say, no one really got enough sleep that night. After Mitsuru explained the situation, the producers claimed it was alright for the students to take an 'extra' day off, and they would work on the next scene after mid-terms.

"We need to spend more time with the upcoming characters, anyway." Akitaya had added. "It'll give us more time to explore their characters, and have them get familiar with parts of the set. However, I'll be having Officer Kurosawa patrol the grounds tonight, in case there was a stalker on the grounds. If this happens again, use the alarm immediately!"

Despite knowing they would have an extra day off from rehearsals, Makoto, Akihiko, Yukari, and Junpei still felt groggy; Mitsuru, since she was the last one up (and was used to hardly sleeping with such a packed schedule), was the only one able to stay the most focused.

…Though, she was also drinking coffee before class, so that could have been a reason, too.

Akihiko, having luck on his side, was allowed to miss afternoon classes for a doctor's appointment.

Sitting in his afternoon class now, Makoto wished that he could fake an injury or sickness in order to go home early and catch up on sleep, himself. …However, Junpei already tried this morning, the school nurse having seen through his act; since they were close friends, she would probably think Makoto was following his influence.

He sighed, looking up at the clock. Only 10 more minutes of class remained, and their teacher- Mr. Edogawa- was giving a lecture about different types of meditation and how they benefitted the magical arts.

"Let's see, there's only a few minutes of class left. I'll just call on someone, and we'll stop here for today," Mr. Edogaway stated, his eyes scanning the room… where they fell upon a student who, apparently, was sleeping through class. "Ah, yes, Mr. Iori! I'll call on you,"

"Zzz- huh?! What?" Junpei slurred, waking up.

"Since you seemed so 'intrigued' in the act of (ahem) 'meditation', perhaps you'll have the answer to my question. Name a form of religious act that would count as meditation. …If you were paying attention, I'm sure you'll have the answer,"

"Oh... It's uh…" Junpei looked at Makoto out of the corner of his eye, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Dude, a little help here?"

"Christian act of prayer," Makoto replied bluntly. Thank God for Junpei he managed to stay awake during classes- let alone paid attention.

Junpei gave the answer, and Mr. Edogawa beamed. "That's correct! …For a minute there, I didn't think you were listening at all. Keep that mind of yours well-focused, Mr. Iori, and you'll probably be reincarnated as a human-being in the next life!" the teacher responded. "Maybe I'll include that on the exams next week…"

Junpei let out a sigh of relief, sitting down in the desk as the teacher went on with his lecture. "Thanks for the save, Mako-san. I owe you another one," he said, giving his friend a slug in the arm.

"You're welcome," Makoto replied, giving a grin. Once Junpei lied his head back down to resume his nap, the protagonist rubbed his arm. "Ow…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

If staying awake in class wasn't a challenge, cramming for exams was.

…Especially when Makoto was keeping to his promise in helping Junpei. He was reminded of this as, after Mitsuru had told everyone to start studying immediately that weekend, he passed by his friend's dorm, hearing his cries.

" _Augh, how do I solve this problem?! …What language is this in?! Gaaaah!"_ was basically how the rant went.

Makoto walked over and tapped his fist on the door. "Junpei? It's Makoto," he called.

There came a sound of rushed (and tripping) footsteps as Junpei flung the door open. "Mako-san! 'Sup, dude?" he replied with a grin. By the sound of his tone, Makoto had no doubts that his friend was hoping he would give him an excuse to procrastinate from studying.

"I came to help you study,"

Junpei scoffed. "Help? Who said I need help studying?!"

Makoto arched an eyebrow. "…You did, remember? Yesterday when we were walking home?"

His best friend paused, thinking back. "…Oh, right! Ah, sure, we can cram together!"

And so it begun.

Twenty minutes of quizzing each other, going over math formulas, and translating words went by slowly, before Junpei eventually claimed his 'brain was fried' and suggested they take a break and play videogames for a while.

That 'while' ended up lasting two hours. Makoto looked at his watch, seeing it was already 9 o'clock. He sighed. "So much for cramming…" he muttered.

"Hey, don't worry! We've got the whole weekend to cram," Junpei assured him, hooking his arm around his friend's shoulders. "We can pick up from here tomorrow, if you want some extra help."

"Uh… sure." Makoto replied, then walked to his room. He decided to cram a little more, listening to music as he did, before he dosed off around midnight…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~3 AM~_

 _*Moooooaaaaaaannnnnnn…*_

It wasn't until the ghastly noise returned that Makoto realized he had fallen asleep with his headphones on- and that his iPod's battery died. "What the…?" he whispered to himself, standing up from his desk and- headphones still on- walked into the hall, looking around.

He wasn't the only one, as Akihiko stepped out of his room. "You heard it again, too?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Yeah. Where's it coming from?"

"I think it came from the top of the stairs. I'll go get Officer Kurosawa- you make sure the girls are alright," Akihiko began to walk, then turned to Makoto. "Better lose the headphones, you'll hear better without them."

"I'm not listening to any music…" Makoto tried to respond, but his friend was already heading downstairs to get the police officer. "Never mind,"

Taking off his headphones, he set them on the coffee-table near the vending machines, and went upstairs to check on the others, as well as alert them.

Cautious after last night, he made sure to keep an eye on the shadows, in case the unknown figure was lurking around them. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he went straight to Mitsuru's room-

* _shuffle shuffle*_

 _*thunk*_

 _*mooaaann…*_

He paused, hearing a sound coming from one of the vacant rooms in the hall. Someone was in there!

*Click*

The next sound alerted him, as he saw Yukari walking out of her room. She rushed over to him, quickly. "It's back?" she could easily guess; this time, she was armed with a flashlight.

"Yeah- quick, lets get Mitsuru-senpai." Makoto whispered.

He knocked lightly on Mitsuru's door, while Yukari kept watch in case their intruder heard them and made a break for it.

After a couple knocks, Mitsuru answered. Seeing the startled looks on her friend's faces, she had them enter her room. "Where is it coming from?" she asked in a whisper.

"I heard it in the room across the hall-" Makoto began to explain.

* _Clomp clomp clomp clomp clomp!*_

Sounds of footsteps running upstairs alerted the trio. "They must be making a break for it!" Yukari gasped.

"After them!" Mitsuru exclaimed, and they all ran out of the room, heading upstairs, seeing someone heading into the control room. "Stop!"

A light blinded them. "Who's there?" a voice demanded.

Yukari shined her light on them; to her relief, it was just Officer Kurosawa. "Oh, thank God… it's just you…" she sighed with relief.

"I came up here to check the tapes; we didn't see anyone enter the building, or leave. Akihiko is standing by the alarm just in case,"

They went to the monitors, as the officer prepared to check and see what was going on-

*Bzzzt!*

…only for the power to go out. "Ah, shit!" Kurosawa snarled, pounding his fist on the table.

"A power out?! NOW?!" Yukari cried.

"KUROSAWA!" came a shout from downstairs.

"That's Akihiko!" Makoto realized, and everyone rushed downstairs, seeing Akihiko on his way up. "What did you see?!"

"Someone went into the kitchen- I tried hitting the alarm, but the power went out!" Akihiko explained, as they hurried down. "C'mon, we can't let them get away!"

Once downstairs, Kurosawa motioned everyone to remain silent, as he made his way towards the kitchen. They heard footsteps and sounds of someone going through the fridge.

Without hesitation, he made his way into the kitchen, having his gun aimed. "FREEZE!"

"Augh!" came a shriek, followed by the sound of something being dropped.

The others ran in, Yukari shining her light on the culprit… and she couldn't help but groan. "Dammit, Stupei…!" she snarled.

Junpei, who had his hands in the air, knees shaking, looked at everyone. "I swear to God, I was just getting a snack!" he stammered. At his feet were a box of Oreos©.

Kurosawa sighed and holstered his gun. "Bad time to get a midnight snack, Iori." He grumbled.

"Can someone fill me in, here?"

"Your friends heard moaning and someone lurking the halls. …Akihiko thought they came down here,"

"…yet we end up cornering Junpei." Akihiko finished, sighing.

"Junpei, did you see anyone on your way down here?" Makoto asked.

"Barely- I'm lucky I can see my own hands in front of my face, let alone made it to the fridge without bumping into anything," Junpei answered.

"I'm going to go around and check for any intrusions; whoever's breaking in probably found an alternate entrance," Kurosawa said. "If any of you hear anything else, come get me immediately,"

"Yes officer," Mitsuru replied.

Everyone decided to hang around the lounge the rest of the night. Once Kurosawa reported there were no signs of break-ins, they all dosed off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~12:15 PM~_

Akihiko was lucky he made it to the lunch period, and decided to spend it napping in the library. "Long night cramming?" asked one of the students, Kenji.

"Sort of…" Akihiko replied, groggily. "I haven't been sleeping well, either."

"Ha, I hear you on that. I try to study while I watch TV… but ended up watching more TV than cramming,"

"Yeah. Ha." Akihiko lied his head down on the desk. He was so tired…

"Oh, hey, it's the student council president! You guys share the same dorm, right? Better not let her catch you napping!" Kenji then walked away.

Mitsuru approached Akihiko, sitting down next to him. "I spoke with the others. We're going to meet in the control room right after school, so don't make any plans." She stated.

 _How can she still be so awake…?_ Was the first thought that came to Akihiko's mind, but he nodded in response instead. "Yes, senpai." He said, holding back a yawn.

Once Mitsuru left, he lied his head back down. A meeting right after school during mid-term cramming and two nights of sleep deprivation.

Great.

Just. Great.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once back at the dorm, the four teens gathered in the lounge. Everyone looked tired, so they were hoping to make this meeting a short one. "Alright, Mitsuru-senpai, what's the meeting about?" Yukari asked, sounding a bit drowsy.

"Ask Iori. He's the one who requested we have one," Mitsuru replied.

"Huh?!"

Junpei took this moment to stand up; the others then noticed he was holding something behind his back. "I guess since you're all wondering why I've called you all here, there's no need for a long introduction," he stated, giving a smirk. The others then noticed that he looked the most rested out of them all- perhaps due to the fact that he slept through most of his classes.

"It had better be a good reason, Junpei- otherwise I'm using you as a punching bag!" Akihiko muttered bitterly, clearly wanting to get some sleep.

"It's a good reason! You all know how there's been weird things going on, but no one's been seeing entering the building? I've come up with a logical explanation…"

"And that would be…?" Mitsuru asked.

"The dorm… is haunted."

Everyone just stared.

"Are you kidding me?!" Akihiko sneered.

"Of all the dumb things…" Yukari scoffed, face-palming.

"I shouldn't have asked," Mitsuru sighed.

Makoto only shrugged, and walked over to the kitchen area, while the class-clown gawked at everyone. "Oh, c'mon, you guys don't believe me?! …Makoto, what do you think?" Junpei exclaimed, turning to his best friend.

"I think I'm going to get a snack. Anyone want anything?" Makoto responded.

"I just want to go study and get some sleep," Yukari muttered.

"Guys, think about it!" Junpei exclaimed, gesturing with his free hand while keeping the other held behind his back. "Kurosawa-senpai patrolled the grounds all night, but didn't see any signs of someone breaking in; all the doors and windows have remained locked the whole night; and whenever you guys heard spooky sounds, you didn't find anyone! It's obvious the place is haunted!"

"There has to be a more logical reason behind it," Akihiko scoffed.

"Then why didn't anything show up on camera? Answer that one, Aki-san!"

"The last tape ran out, and the power went out last night before we could check anything," Mitsuru answered matter-of-factly. "The power is back on, but the tape ended up warped. Kurosawa took it to the station to examine the film, but I'm sure there will be a logical explanation found soon. Chances are, we just might have a stealthy stalker hiding somewhere."

"Like that doesn't sound any less creepy…" Yukari whispered to herself.

"Oh yeah? Then why would they put Yukari's textbook in the bathroom the other night?!"Junpei challenged.

"…Or my headphones in the fridge?" Makoto added, walking out of the kitchen.

"Exactly!" Junpei paused, turning and looking at his friend. "Wait, what?"

Makoto held up his headphones, which seemed a bit frosty. "I opened the fridge to make a sandwich, and I found them on the top shelf," he scratched his head. "…and I had left them on the coffee-table on the second floor last night,"

"That's weird… Why would they be put in there?" Yukari asked.

"Probably as a prank." Akihiko guessed.

"But none of us were in the kitchen this morning- we all overslept and had to skip breakfast to get to school!"

"Oh, it was a prank alright…. A GHOST prank!" Junpei stated. "They do these things all the time- putting objects in weird places, just to confuse their victims. Pretty soon, we're going to be finding furniture stacked up- on the ceiling!"

Yukari gave him a glare. "Would you cut it out with the ghost talk, already?! …And what are you holding behind your back?!"

"The answer to our problems!" Junpei then unveiled that of which he kept behind his back.

"Is that… an Ouija board?" Makoto questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Sure is!" Junpei spread the board out on the coffee-table. "All we have to do is hold a séance and ask whatever spirit that's haunting us what it wants, and find a way to get it out of here!"

"I don't know, Iori. Not that I don't believe in the supernatural, but you really shouldn't tamper with things beyond your understanding," Mitsuru firmly stated.

"…That would involve a lot of things…" Yukari quipped.

"Oh, c'mon! Let's at least test it out!" Junpei exclaimed, sitting down by the board. "I spent $15 on this thing!"

"I'd say it's worth a shot," Makoto said, sitting down next to his friend.

"*sigh* Whatever gets us to bed, quicker." Akihiko muttered.

The group sat around the coffee-table. "Alright, everyone join hands," Junpei advised, and everyone did so. He then smirked. "Heh, I should've thought of this sooner; best way to get a girl to hold- OW! …Dammit, Yukari, lighten your grip!"

"Stop being stupid and lets get this over with. We've got studying to do!" Yukari snarled.

"Alright, alright! Here we go…" Junpei then began to speak in an eerie tone. _"Oh, spirit of the dorm, please speak to us and answer our-_ Hey, hold on; none of you are easily freaked out, right? Any squeamish people are advised to leave now, otherwise-"

"JUNPEI!" The whole group shouted, getting [more] annoyed with their friend.

"Okay, just checking! Sheesh!" His tone switched back to eerie. _"Spirit of the dorm, please answer our question- why are you in our dorm, and what is it that you seek?"_

Everyone looked at the board, anxiously awaiting an answer.

…which never came, because the dial didn't move an inch.

"…Well, Junpei? We're waiting," Akihiko stated.

"Give it a minute!" Junpei hissed.

They waited for up to 5 minutes.

Makoto then realized they were still holding hands, suddenly wishing he could reach his iPod.

"Okay, they're not answering. Can we go to bed, now?" Yukari groaned.

"M-Maybe I didn't ask right. Let me try again!" Junpei replied in desperation.

"Junpei, unless the 'ghost' doesn't know how to spell, I doubt the dorm is haunted," Akihiko scoffed, releasing Makoto and Mitsuru's hands. "Not that this wasn't fun… but we've got cramming to do."

"Yeah, enough of this nonsense," Yukari agreed, prying her hand out of Junpei's and walking upstairs with Akihiko. "I'm lacking enough sleep as it is just from studying,"

"I recommend you put this idea out of mind, Iori- at least until mit-terms are over with," Mitsuru advised. "In the meantime, I'm going to go check with Officer Kurosawa and see if he's found anything," With that, she walked out.

Junpei shot everyone a glare. "…Well, don't come crying to me if you end up possessed!" he called. He then noticed Makoto still next to him. "Can you believe that? I try to solve a mystery, but they treat it as a joke! That's actually what causes ghosts to harass people," he looked at the board. "…I bet the ghost was just messing with me, trying to make everyone think I'm crazy until it's too late. …Cliché, but effective."

"Junpei?" Makoto stated.

"Well, I'm not giving up just yet! Not until I prove my theory! I'll show 'em I'm not kidding around!"

"Junpei?"

Junpei snapped his fingers. "I've got it! You and me can hold a stake-out, keep an eye on the monitors and solve the mystery ourselves! I don't know whether the ghost will show itself on-tape, but if it's pulling something we'll spot it on camera! …What do you say, Mako-san? You in?"

"…Sure. Junpei?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"…Can I have my hand back, now?"

Junpei paused, seeing that he had yet to let go of Makoto's hand… and in his moment of determination, had been gripping it tightly. "…Whoops. Sorry, dude!" he released his grip, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um… Let's meet in the control room tonight, okay? I'll be in my room, preparing for our stake-out!"

Makoto nodded, waving to him as he walked up the stairs. "Sure, meet you there!"

Junpei gave a grin, then packed up the Ouija board…

Once Makoto was in his room, he rubbed his hand. "Ahh-agh…! This keeps up, I'm going to be sitting out action scenes with Akihiko…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~11:02 PM~_

Junpei had his eyes on the screen…

Makoto had his eyes on his book. He decided, while they were having a 'stake-out', to get some studying in- as well as try to get his best friend to cram. "Alright… Out of the three, which of these is not identified as a devilfish: Squid, Jellyfish, or Octopus?" he quizzed.

"Huh? …Um, I don't know. Squid?" Junpei replied, eyes still on the monitors.

"*sigh* No, it's the 'Jellyfish'. Got it wrong again, Junpei."

Junpei only rolled his eyes. "I don't see how you can study during a ghost-hunt. We've got all Saturday and Sunday to study- which will be easier once we get rid of whatever's been making everyone lose sleep!"

Makoto sighed; there was no way he could get his friend's mind off his 'haunted dorm' theory enough to cram…

That is, until he got an idea of his own.

"Sorry, but I'm just aiding myself against evil spirits. I learned in Mr. Edogawa's class that ghosts always possess those with the least intellect- that way they have better chances of having full control of their victim."

Junpei did a double-take. "What, for real?!"

"Sure. Haven't you seen a pattern in horror-movies? The victims have to be at their wits-end before they're nabbed by ghosts, but the smartest ones are harder to control because they take longer to possess." Makoto gave a shrug. "…But if you want to be on the front lines, go ahe- hey!"

Junpei had taken his text-book. "Gimme that! I've got brains to rack! …Why don't you go on patrol, double-check everywhere in case there's something weird going on,"

Makoto nodded, walking out. He looked back through the door-crack, seeing Junpei had his nose in the text-book, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself.

 _Why didn't I think of something like this before?_ He thought, as he walked down the hall.

He checked the lounge, kitchen, bathroom (men's only- in case Mitsuru caught him), the hallways, and even peeked into a couple vacant rooms; thankfully, there were no signs of any intruders. He walked upstairs to the 5th floor, making sure the rooftop door was locked, before going back down to the control room.

"I'm back, Junpei. See any-" he began to ask, but paused. "…thing?"

Within the last 15 minutes, Junpei had fallen asleep on the couch, book covering his face and muffling his snores.

 _Must've bored himself to sleep,_ Makoto thought, lightly chuckling as he walked over and took his textbook off his friend's face. He then sat down in a chair, deciding to study, while looking at the monitor's every few minutes.

After all, he did agree to a stake-out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~Meanwhile~_

Mitsuru stood by the squad car, where Officer Kurosawa stood. "And you're absolutely sure of this?" the student-council president asked.

"Positive. It's pretty surprising we didn't figure it out sooner," Kurosawa replied, then looked at his watch. "I need to do continue my rounds. You'd better get back to the dorm yourself, Miss Kirijo- just in case our 'culprit' has pulled anything."

Mitsuru nodded, then hopped on her motorcycle and rode back to the dorm. _He's right. Why didn't we figure this out, sooner? It all makes sense!_ She thought, then couldn't help but chuckle. _…No wonder he'd think it was a ghost._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*MOOOAAAANNN…*_

It was a little after midnight when Makoto awoke to the ghastly sound. He looked around, seeing that he had dosed off while studying. He also noticed Junpei wasn't in the room.

 _Did he go off to investigate by himself?!_ He thought in disbelief. He thought back to the action-scene they had done, where Junpei decided to run ahead. Perhaps this was the same case- he obviously wanted to prove he could handle the situation.

Knowing better, Makoto stood up and ran down to the third floor; the moan had come from the fifth floor, meaning he had to act fast and gather the others before the culprit disappeared again- let alone if Junpei got hurt.

Thankfully, the others were awake already. "It's upstairs!" he told Akihiko and Yukari.

"We know. We heard it," Yukari replied.

"Where's Junpei? He wasn't in his room when I went to wake you guys up!" Akihiko demanded.

"We were both in the control room watching the monitors- I think he went after it himself!" Makoto answered.

"Shit! Doesn't he ever use his brain?!" Without hesitation, Akihiko ran upstairs. "Makoto, come with me! Yukari, go sound the alarm!"

Yukari nodded, running downstairs while Makoto followed Akihiko all the way up to the fifth floor, seeing a shadowed figure lurking about. Akihiko took out a flashlight, shining it-

They couldn't believe what they saw.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Yukari had made it down to the lounge by the time Mitsuru walked through the door. "Mitsuru-senpai, where have you been? Our intruder is back- it's on the fifth floor! We've got to sound the alarm!" she exclaimed, rushing towards the table.

Mitsuru stepped in her way, raising her hands. "There's no need, Yukari. The mystery is solved," she stated calmly.

"W-What?"

"I went to see Officer Kurosawa, and we analyzed the tape-ribbons… I'm surprised none of us figured this out sooner!"

"Figured what out? Who's been wandering the dorm?"

Mitsuru lead her up the stairs. "Think. Who was always the last one to show up, never complained about the moans, and even appeared last night in the culprit's location?"

Yukari thought for one second before it clicked. "Son of a…" she growled, then ran upstairs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Makoto and Akihiko were gawking at the sight before them. "So… you're tell me the whole time it was…?" Akihiko began to question.

"Makes sense to me." Makoto said with a shrug.

Across the room, Junpei was shuffling across the floor, moaning a bit while carrying Makoto's textbook. He bumped into a chair once, but only moved around it, heading for the stairs. His friends followed him. "Should we wake him up?" Makoto asked once they were on the fourth floor; Junpei went into the control room, pulling open a drawer and putting Makoto's book in it.

"Should we wake him up?" Akihiko asked, while Makoto retrieved his book.

"I heard it's dangerous to wake someone while they're sleepwalking," Makoto replied. "Let's go find Yukari, and tell her it was only-"

"JUNPEI!" came a shout as Yukari and Mitsuru came into the room.

"Zz- huh?" Junpei snapped awake, looking around. "What?"

"…Yuka-san obviously doesn't fear danger," Makoto quipped.

"No- she just doesn't fear Junpei," Akihiko retorted, and they watched as Yukari stormed up to Junpei, grabbing him by the shirt-collar and shaking him.

"You idiot! This whole time it was you wandering around the halls! What kind of joke were you trying to pull?!" Yukari was shouting as she shook Junpei, who was now completely awake.

"Whoa! Hey! Take it easy, Yuka-tan!" Junpei snapped, pulling away from her. "First of all, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Allow me to answer," Mitsuru spoke up, walking up to Junpei. "It turns out you've been walking in your sleep, Iori."

"Walking in my sleep…?" Junpei paused, thinking about it. His shoulders then slumped. "Oh… yeah. I should've figured that…"

"Really? No denial? No demand of proof?" Makoto asked. "…You knew you were sleepwalking?"

"Well, I didn't know- but I guess it's obvious. I mean, the past couple nights, I ended up waking up in either the kitchen or the bathroom downstairs." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh… kind of have this condition. Every time I'm under a lot of stress, I end up walking in my sleep."

"Stress? You barely got a care in the world!" Yukari questioned.

Makoto thought about this. "But he's right." He replied. "The first night, you brought up how exams were coming up and how we all had to study. That's the first night he started sleepwalking!"

"Right. There's nothing more stressful than having to cram for an exam," Junpei said, leaning against the couch. "…Chances are, I'll probably be sleepwalking until mid-terms are over!"

"I vote we chain him to his bed," Yukari quipped.

"Perhaps not. I believe if you studied more often, Iori, you'd have less stress on your mind and would sleepwalk less," Mitsuru advised.

"One thing still puzzles me," Akihiko spoke up. "Why the heck did you keep taking things and putting them in odd places?"

"Dude, I don't know! People do weird things when they sleepwalk!" Junpei scoffed.

"I think it's best if we don't find out, anyway." Makoto joked.

"Yes. Let's just be happy the situation wasn't too serious," Mitsuru added.

"Well, now that the mystery's solved, let's just head to bed. If I don't get some sleep soon, I'll pull a Junpei and fall asleep in class!"

"Hey…!" Junpei snapped, giving Yukari a glare.

"C'mon, buddy. Save it for the morning," Makoto said, patting his friend on the shoulder and leading him downstairs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~After School, The Next Day~_

The students managed to make it through yet another school-day. With mid-terms fast approaching, everyone either went to the library or to their dorms to cram.

…though one student had a different idea.

"C'mon, I bet it'll work this time!" Junpei stated as he and Makoto sat in the lounge with the Ouija board.

"Junpei, you can't ask a game-board for test answers…" Makoto sighed.

"I'm not asking a 'game-board'- I'm asking spirits! They've been around a long time, I bet they'd have every answer for the next several exams!" he then looked at the board. "Okay- Spirits, let me hear the truth: What will be the following answers for our mid-term exams this season?"

They watched, as the dial then began to move! "It's… It's actually moving!" Makoto said.

"What's it spelling out?" Junpei had a notebook ready, to write down each letter.

"F… O… R… G… E… T… …I… T… …S… T… U… P… E… I…"

*Snap*

The pencil broke in Junpei's hands… and he ended up throwing the board off the table. "Ah, forget it! …They'd probably give me the wrong answers just to mess with me, anyway." He then looked at Makoto. "Mind helping me cram?"

"Sure," Makoto replied… then received a slap on the back. "Oof!"

"Great! We can start tomorrow- let's play some videogames, first, and work off this stress!"

"Okay… ow…"

Junpei arched an eyebrow. "You okay, dude? I heard you've had a couple aches lately,"

Makoto let out a heavy sigh. "Junpei… did anyone tell you that you don't know your own strength?"

"Not really…" Junpei then smirked and wrapped an arm around his friend's neck. "But I do work out! Thanks for the credit, bud!" With his arm still around his friend's neck, he hauled him upstairs. "C'mon! To the platform!"

"Gack!"

As the two went upstairs, Yukari peeked out from the dining area with a little remote. Chuckling, she walked over to the coffee-table, where she took off a magnet that she used to move the dial on the board. "And that's for making me miss sleep," she said in triumph, walking away.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: And there was my second attempt and making this story interesting. …Admit it, how many of you knew it was Junpei from the start?

Special thanks to my boyfriend for inspiring the 'Ouija Board' bit, as well as the 'great' reveal.

Might include some fluff in the next chapter, might just be more humor- we shall see.

Hope you all enjoyed. Review, don't flame, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Peace!


	3. Talk To Me

Came up with this idea while playing the game, decided to jot it down real quick before I forgot.

Also, just to point out the obvious, most of these chapters will involve Junpei- which is easy since he's a fun character to write for. BUT, I don't want him to be the center of attention, so if anyone has requests for certain characters and situations, feel free to make requests.

One more thing… is it possible to get Makoto OOC, since his personality isn't fully established? Just wanted to ask because I'm going to exploit this little loophole a lot ;)

 _Setting:_ During the rainstorm/typhoon weekend.

 _Summary:_ The cast and crew are forced to take the weekend off when the storm grows severe, everyone being sent home… Except Makoto, who ends up sick from the rain and stays at the dorm. Thankfully, he has some company- which is a good thing, as a storm isn't the only thing they have to deal with.

 _Warning:_ Will contain a little bit of angst… followed by fluff. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the game.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Ah… Ah… Atchoo!" Makoto sneezed quietly, covering his mouth to stifle the sound.

It did no good. Aigis heard him clearly. "Makoto-san, are you feeling alright?" she asked, looking across at him. The cast were sitting in the lounge of the Dorm, having finished a scene involving a rainstorm hitting.

The bit had been recently included; originally, it was just going to be a 'free scene' for the game (in which the player could decide how to spend the weekend before another school break), but once dark clouds started rolling in, the producer advised they do a new cut-scene and take the whole weekend off, as the storm was going to get severe.

…Of course, Makoto was the last one to hear about this, and had to race back to the dorm in the rain. He improvised a little, as did everyone else- mainly talking about plans about break that would match the story.

That's when his drenched condition started to affect his health. "I'm fine, Aigis. I'm just going to go change," Makoto replied.

"You'd better do it quick; the producer wants us all to return to our homes immediately. Our families had called in and made the request, before the storm grows too severe," Mitsuru advised, looking at the time on her cell-phone. "My father should be pulling up. Does anyone else need a ride?"

"I'm good," Shinjiro stated, heading for the door. "I'll just hail a cab,"

"Hopefully the streets haven't flooded," Akihiko added, following him out.

"Hey, wait up!" Ken exclaimed, heading out with them.

"My dad's putting everything in the tech-storage. I'm going to go meet up with him," Yukari stated, pulling on a jacket.

"Mind if I tag along? My parents had a business meeting out of town," Fuuka asked, and Yukari nodded.

Mitsuru turned to the remaining four cast-members. "Do the rest of you have a way to get home?" she asked.

"Arf, arf!" Koromaru responded, the Sheba Inu lying down by the television.

"…I guess Koro-chan is going to stay here," Aigis replied with a smile. She might not be able to 'speak dog' like her robotic-role requires, but she still had a way of understanding the intelligent canine. "I'm going to call my cousin, Catherine, and see if she can give me a lift. She has an apartment nearby."

"Yeah, I'll manage too." Junpei added coolly, leaning back on the couch. "I don't live too far away, so I don't need a ride."

Mitsuru turned to Makoto, who had to put on his best poker-face. When it came to the student-council president's intuition, you'd have to be a magician to get anything past her. She had this 'older sister'-sense of responsibility when it came to everyone, meaning she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer if she felt you needed assistance.

Thankfully, Makoto was an expert at keeping stoic… heck, it was one of the main reasons the writer chose him to be the 'blank-slate' protagonist. "I'll be fine. Thank you." He replied with a gracious nod.

Mitsuru looked at the four, then nodded. "Alright then, if you're all sure. Iori, I recommend you don't take long heading home. The weather is getting worse by the minute." She said. There came a car-horn from outside, and she looked out the window. "That's my dad. …Make sure you're indoors before the storm gets worse,"

"See ya, Senpai!" Junpei called, then began walking towards the stairs with Makoto. He looked at his friend, chuckling. "I don't see why she was so concerned about you- ya already got soaked!"

"How long were you in the rain?" Aigis asked Makoto.

"I got off the train when the rain hit," Makoto replied. "It was barely drizzling, so I doubt I got that- WHOA!"

*Thud!*

Makoto slipped on the tiled floor in the hall, nearly hitting his head on the stairs if Aigis hadn't caught him. "Dude!/Makoto-san!" his two co-actors gasped. Koromaru let out a concerned bark.

Makoto stood up, steadying himself on the railing. "…Okay, maybe I was in the rain longer than I thought," he replied, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. He knelt down, taking off his shoes and his socks. "Better be careful going up the stairs,"

Junpei chuckled. "Go change dude, before you have another wipe-out." He lightly teased.

Makoto nodded, heading upstairs and changing into some dry clothes. He then looked out the window, which gave a great view of the street. A lot of staff members were already hailing taxis, as the rain began to pick up.

Makoto sat down at his desk, deciding to study.

There was no way he was going home.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"… _yeah, it's pretty bad out. …Of course I'm still going to come- as soon as the rain stops, I promise. …Ha ha, I can't wait to see it."_

Makoto opened his eyes, seeing that he had dosed off at his desk. "Ugh… wha?" he moaned, rubbing his head. He sniffled, his nose plugged up.

"… _Sure, we can go over lines over the phone- but I want you to rest up first. We'll do our 'call-in' rehearsal tomorrow. …I hope the phone-lines hold up, too."_

 _Is someone still here?_ Makoto wondered, then looked at the clock on his nightstand, seeing it had been 2 hours since everyone had gone home. …Or, almost everyone, as someone appeared to be talking out in the hall.

Standing up, he walked over to the door; he paused, feeling his head swimming. He ignored it, walking towards the door.

*Bzzzt!*

The lights went out the moment he touched the doorknob. _"Ah, shit! …The power went out! …Nah, I don't think it's too serious. I'm going to go check the fuse-box. I'll call you tomorrow, Chidorica~"_ the voice outside exclaimed, and by the suave tone it took on that last verse, it was easy to deduce it was Junpei. _"…Okay, okay, I'll lay off the nickname. …Yup, 3:30 works. 'Night!"_

"Junpei…?" Makoto asked- his voice a bit raspy, but he cleared his throat.

Junpei have a jolt, fumbling his cell-phone and nearly dropping it. "Whoa! …Oh, hey, Mako-man! What're you doing here? I figured you went home!"

"I was about to say the same thing to you. I thought you were walking home?"

Junpei rubbed the back of his neck. "W-Well, I was going to… but then Chidori called. She's still at the hospital, y'know? She wanted to know how everyone was holding up, with the typhoon and all. I ended up talking with her longer than I thought, I guess."

Makoto nodded, remembering how Chidori ended up in the hospital after experiencing pains in her side constantly, and she was to undergo surgery at once when they grew severe; thankfully, since the rest of her scenes were to take place at a hospital anyway, this served no problem for the production. …Especially since it helped establish a connection between her and Junpei, who had been visiting her more often than the others.

"How is she doing?" Makoto asked.

"Not bad. She said she'll be allowed to check out in a couple days- and she's hoping to get the 'hospital' takes completed so she doesn't have to hang around the place any longer. …Can't say I blame her- I hate hospitals!"

Makoto nodded… then shut his eyes tight, feeling his forehead and noticing it was slightly warm. Thankfully, it was too dark for his friend to notice.

"So… what kept you at the dorm?" Junpei asked.

"I… uh… decided to stay." The protagonist answered, giving a shrug. "Didn't want anyone going through the trouble of driving me home in this weather."

"…You guys stayed, too?"

The two boys flinched at the sound of the voice, turning and seeing Aigis coming down the hall with a flashlight. She had changed into a black T-shirt with a picture of a smiley-face on it, long purple pajama pants, and slippers, no longer looking like her android-character. With her was Koromaru, who yipped in excitement.

"Aigis! I thought you were getting a ride home!" Makoto questioned.

"Catherine couldn't make it. She said she was out of town, and the roads were already flooded in her area." Aigis answered. "I guess I forgot she was meeting with her agent about a movie-deal,"

"Movie deal? Your cousin is an actress, too?" Junpei asked.

"Yes. She's the title-character for a videogame, too."

Junpei's jaw dropped. _"Catherine?!_ Dude, I love that game!" he then smirked. "Actually… would you believe I'm actually related to the main-protagonist, Vincent Brooks?"

"No/Not really/Woof." Makoto, Aigis, and Koromaru each responded.

"I am, really! …by marriage…"

"…Didn't you mention something about checking the fuse box?" Makoto asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, right! …Aigis, you mind if I borrow your flashlight?"

Aigis handed him the torch. "I'm going to go find some candles to light. Makoto, would you mind helping?" she asked.

"Sure, I think there's some in the dining room."

The four walked down the stairs. Finding a spare flashlight in a drawer, Aigis and Makoto gathered a few little candles, placing them on the table to give some light in the lounge. Junpei was over by the fuse-box, flicking a few switches, but nothing came back on.

"Damn. The power lines must've got struck by lightning or something. 'Guess we're stuck in the dark," the class-clown stated, then smirked. "Anyone know some good ghost-stories?"

"You and your ghost stories…" Makoto sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What? It's the best way to stay entertain during a storm!"

"You can tell ghost-stories. I'm going to go to bed," Aigis said, stifling a yawn. "Hopefully the power will be back on by morning,"

"Arf," Koromaru seemed to agree, following Aigis as she took a flashlight and walked up the stairs.

Junpei shrugged, then turned towards Makoto. "What about you, bud? Any ideas? We've got the whole dorm to ourselves!" he asked, giving him a nudge with his elbow.

"I don't know… there's not much to do if the power's out." Makoto pointed out. He rubbed his head again, feeling his temperature increased a little.

Junpei sighed. "Man… too bad everyone else went home, we'd probably have some fun." He leaned back on the couch. "Ah well. Once the power kicks back on, I guess…"

Makoto nodded, then winced; the action gave him a mild headache. He let out a soft grunt, resting his forehead on his palm. He really needed an ice-pack…

Junpei arched an eyebrow, looking over; in the dim light, he noticed his friend's complexion was turning a bit pale, as well as noticed his pained expression. "…You okay, dude? You don't look too hot,"

 _Funny, I feel that way…_ Makoto wished he could respond, but his throat felt dry. "I don't feel good," he rasped, clearing his throat so he could speak clearly. "I'm going to go lie down."

"Yeah, good idea. You must've caught a cold from the rain," Junpei stood up, walking over to the kitchen. "I'm going to grab a snack; you want me to get you anything?"

"N-nah, I just need some sleep. See you in the morning,"

"Ha, morning nothing- I'll be crashing until noon! 'Night, bud."

Makoto watched his friend disappear into the kitchen. He stifled a yawn, dragging himself over to the stairs. For some reason, he felt more exhausted than he had two hours ago, no doubt from the cold's effect.

He made it over to the stairs, walking up them… his head swimming once again, only a bit worse than before. Quietly moaning, he grabbed onto the railing, taking a couple steps backwards before kneeling down. It was easy to see walking upstairs wasn't going to be an easy task…

Keeping on his hands and knees, he decided to 'climb' up them- as well as hoping neither Aigis nor Junpei came by and caught him. He was thankful Pharos wasn't around- the kid had a tendency to be hanging around with his phone, taking pictures or recording something that he felt would be great on the 'behind the scenes' reel.

Once he reached the top, he felt too exhausted to stand up. He looked down the hall… why did his room have to be the last one way down at the end?

 _Screw it._ He thought, closing his eyes and deciding to rest on the floor.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Junpei checked the fuse-box for the third time within the last 15 minutes, with no results. "Damn… so much for watching _The Mummy_ tonight," he muttered, walking over and sitting on the couch. He looked at his phone, thinking about calling someone… but chances were, everyone was probably asleep at this point. "…Why couldn't they have made cellular-televisions, in case of situations like this?"

Pocketing his phone and standing up, he looked around the lounge. The candles were starting to burn out, so he put the lids back on them, before heading up the stairs. Maybe he should have gone home…

 _No way. Not if that bastard is there…_ he told himself. He always regretted it when he _had_ to go home.

Being at the dorm, whether it had power or not, was always the better option. Hell, the place could be flooding while on fire, and it would still be better! …Besides, it was hard to tell when the storm would let up, and he didn't want to be trapped in the same house as-

"Whoa- oof!"

The moment of angst was put on hold when Junpei tripped over something.

"…mmf…" came a soft grunt, and he realized that 'something' was actually a 'someone'.

"What the…? Makoto?" Junpei sputtered, shining his flashlight over.

"…turn off the lights, please…" his friend mumbled in his sleep.

Junpei turned off the flashlight, sticking it in his back-pocket. "…Figures. Not even Makoto can handle the 'man cold'." He remarked to himself. He knelt down, shaking his friend's shoulder. "Hey… Mako-san, wake up. The bed's more comfortable, y'know."

"Mmf… hm?" Makoto groggily responded, his eyes opening halfway, before he went back into his dose. "…c'mon, Mitsuru… there's no school…"

 _Sheesh, he's WAY out of it!_ Junpei thought. "Alright, buddy, c'mon… Back to bed,"

Slipping his arms beneath his friend's legs and shoulders, Junpei picked him up to carry his friend to his room at the end of the hall…

…a feat that was a bit difficult, as Makoto was a bit heavier than he expected. "Geez, dude, what have you've been eating? Cement?!" Junpei hissed, trying to walk. "*huff huff* ...maybe I should start lifting weights over break…"

Reaching the couch in a few steps, he set his friend down, before sitting down next to him. He could hear Yukari's voice now: "You must really be out of shape if you can't carry Makoto- Ken could probably do it!" she'd probably tease.

 _It's not like I'm frickin' Shinjiro or anything._ Junpei thought. He looked up at the ceiling, letting out a heavy breath. "'Least I got you off the floor, right?" he commented to the sleeping-protagonist. "You owe me for that much,"

"Hm…" Makoto mumbled in his sleep… before tipping over, leaning against his best friend; his arms subconsciously wrapped around him, making him his new pillow.

Junpei's reaction was obvious.

 _WHAT… THE… FUCK…?!_

"Dude- I didn't mean like that!" Junpei yelped, standing up and pulling away-

*thonk!*

…resulting in half of Makoto's body sliding off the couch, his head hanging upside-down off the edge and on the ground. "Zzz… *snort* gzzz…." He softly snored, looking as limp as a ragdoll.

"Huh, boy…" Junpei sighed, rubbing the side of his face. He reached over and- making sure he was at an angle where Makoto couldn't latch onto him- lifted his friend back onto the couch.

The protagonist let out a tiny cough, but curled up, remaining asleep.

Sighing heavily, Junpei walked over to a chair, deciding to get some sleep himself.

That is, until his friend began sobbing.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _He sat on his bed, knees pulled up to his chest. He was 7, but right now felt as if he were 3 years old; he didn't know what to do._

 _A storm had hit, and now he wished he wasn't living in a house out in the country._

 _He wished his mom around…_

… _actually, he wished she wanted to be around._

 _There came a pounding on his door. His father came in, angry._

 _He started shouting, then held up his belt-_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sobbing.

That's the first thing Aigis heard when she went down the stairs. Having been unable to sleep, she decided to walk around the dorm with Koromaru, maybe make sure all the windows were shut, the doors locked, and if the power kicked back on downstairs- as well as making sure someone put out the candles.

The first thing she noticed was the sound of whimpering, and she shined her flashlight over, seeing Makoto curled up tightly… tears running down his face. Beside him, Junpei was shaking his shoulder. "Wake up, buddy, you're having a nightmare!" he was saying.

"Mako-san!" she gasped, rushing over.

Koromaru beat her to the couch, using his nose to poke Makoto, whimpering in concern. He looked up at Aigis, his red-brown eyes seeming to ask, 'What's wrong with him?'

Aigis sat down beside him, stroking Makoto's head. She looked at Junpei. "W-What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know- I just lied him on the couch.. 'cuz, well, for some reason he was sleeping on the floor… and suddenly he just started crying in his sleep!" Junpei replied. "He must be having one bitch of a nightmare,"

Aigis set her flashlight down, the light illuminating a bit of Makoto's face, letting her see how pale he was; she felt his forehead- immediately drawing her hand back. "He's burning up! Go get an ice-pack, Junpei-san. Koromaru, go grab a blanket!"

"On it!" Junpei responded, running downstairs. Koromaru ran over to the only room with its door open, coming back out with a large blanket.

Aigis covered up Makoto, stroking his head. "It's okay, Makoto… you're dreaming," she said soothingly to him. "Wake up,"

" _Daddy…"_ Makoto sobbed in his sleep. _"no… I'll do better… mommy, I'm sorry… don't hit me!"_

Aigis' eyes widened. "H-Huh?"

Junpei ran up the stairs, rushing over- out of breath. "Here's the ice-pack…!" he wheezed, setting the ice-pack on Makoto's head, and he sat down on the floor beside the couch. "How's he doing?"

"He was talking in his sleep- s-something about his parents and… getting hit," Aigis told Junpei.

"Must be a fever-dream-"

" _NO-!"_ Makoto cried in his sleep, his voice cracking from both a sore throat and sobbing. Tossing and turning, he ended up rolling off the couch-

"OOF!"

…landing on Junpei.

"Arf!" Koromaru barked, jumping back a bit in alarm. He sniffed Makoto, then looked over at Junpei.

"Not again…" Junpei groaned.

"H-Huh…? W-What's going on?!" Makoto stammered, sniffling a bit as he finally woke up. "W-what happened?"

His best friend shifted away from him, both of them sitting up. "…you busted my lungs, that's what…"

"You were having a fever-dream," Aigis told him, picking up the ice-pack and feeling his head. "You're running a high temperature… and you were crying in your sleep,"

Makoto thought for a moment, trying to remember the dream. "I was crying…?" he whispered, feeling a few fresh tears still on his face.

"Yeah. You were passed out on the floor earlier, too." Junpei added. "I had to haul your ass to the couch, and that's when you started crying. What were you dreaming about?"

"I don't remember…" Makoto scratched his head… then flinched. "Ow! Ugh, why does my head hurt so much?!"

"It's probably a headache; your cold must be settling there," Aigis theorized.

"…Er, yeah. That's it. A headache." Junpei replied, clearing his throat. "Um, c'mon buddy, let's get you in bed. You'll sleep better there,"

Makoto slightly nodded, though it only caused the pain in his head to increase. He winced, rubbing his head as his friends walked with him down to his room, keeping the blanket Koromaru fetched for him wrapped around his shoulders.

"Is there anything you need?" Aigis asked. "I think we have some cold medicine downstairs,"

"It's fine, Aigis… I just need rest," Makoto replied, sniffling a bit.

"Arf!" Koromaru barked… carrying over a box of tissues.

Makoto took one, blowing his nose. "Thanks, Koro-chan,"

"If you need anything, just call. I'm right next door," Junpei told him, then grinned, faking a back-ache (or, at least it seemed fake). "But, don't ask me to carry you anywhere, ha ha."

Makoto chuckled, curling up with his (extra) blankets on his bed, setting the ice-pack on his head and shutting his eyes. Koromaru lied down by the bed- as if to be ready to help Makoto when he needed something.

Aigis and Junpei quietly exited the room; the blonde co-actress stood in the doorframe a moment, watching Makoto sleep. "Junpei-san… what do you think his dream was about?" she asked in a whisper.

"It's hard to say… a lot of people see scary things in fever-dreams." Junpei replied. He rested a hand on her shoulder, walking her over to the stairs that lead to the third floor. "Right now, we should get to dreaming ourselves. Mako-san will be better by the morning,"

Aigis sighed, nodding. "Okay… But, listen for any sounds of trouble, alright? I don't want him going through another nightmare like that,"

Junpei gave a salute, grinning. "Junpei, Dream Defender, is on duty, ma'am!"

She gave a chuckle, walking upstairs while Junpei walked back to his room.

Yet, concern wouldn't leave her mind. _It couldn't have been just a fever dream… why do I get the feeling it had to have been something more?_ She wondered.

Letting out an easy breath, she continued her way up the stairs, deciding she'd ask Makoto about it after he was feeling better. Perhaps he'd remember the dream clearly once his fever dropped and he had gotten plenty of sleep.

She was at the middle of the stairs when she heard a voice cry out-

" _Where the hell is my blanket!?"_

It was Junpei.

Aigis had to stifle a chuckle, imagining that- somewhere in Makoto's room- Koromaru was hiding.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was 9 AM when Makoto woke up… and remembered the fever-dream.

Koromaru sat by his bed, watching him with concern as the teen sat in bed, completely quiet. …Granted, he was always quiet, but that was namely when everyone was on-set, and the protagonist only had to speak in the game when a cut-scene required so, or if he were saying the name of a Persona.

But this was a different type of quiet. From the look in his eyes, the Sheba Inu could sense something was wrong… like something caused him great distress.

"Mom… Dad…" Makoto whispered, bowing his head while clutching his blankets, gritting his teeth.

Koromaru let out a whimper, resting a paw on the protagonist's hand, and resting his muzzle on the teen's lap. _Please don't be upset anymore,_ his eyes seemed to say.

Makoto looked at the dog, giving a small smile while rubbing his fuzzy ears. "…It's alright, boy. C'mon, let's go downstairs."

The Sheba Inu let out a soft growl, standing in his path- as if to tell the teen to stay in bed.

"What? I'm fine…ah-atchoo!" Makoto sniffled, feeling congested.

"Arf!" Koromaru retorted… which, despite the protagonist couldn't speak dog, probably translated to, 'Yeah right'.

"Koromaru, it's alright. …I need to eat something anyway, right? And I bet you're hungry too."

Koromaru let out a disgruntled growl… but, as if he [bitterly] agreed with the teen's point, walked towards the door and into the hall.

However, he kept at Makoto's side, just to keep an eye on him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aigis was at the dining-table when Makoto came downstairs. "Morning. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"A little better, but I'm still plugged up. I'm going to make some tea," Makoto replied, heading for the kitchen.

Aigis quickly got up, resting her hands on both his shoulders and leading him over to a chair, having him sit down. "Allow me. I don't want you to overexert yourself… Plus, if you're sick, you should keep out of the kitchen since you're contagious."

Makoto blinked. "O-kay… but what about you? You could catch a cold from me,"

"…And when I do, I'll stay out of the kitchen as well. I'll be right back," With that, Aigis disappeared into the kitchen.

Makoto sighed, but had to grin. When Aigis first came on the set, he didn't think she'd be in a 'protective' mode outside of her role. After the first couple weeks, though, she grew to help out around the dorm, wanting to assist everyone with some task. Granted, she couldn't beat Mitsuru's 'big-sister' attitude… but her 'guardian'-like personality sure gave the student-council president a run for her money.

…Not that he would admit that out loud…

He looked at the ceiling as he thought about this. He wasn't exactly used to having a 'guardian'.

At least, not since he stopped imagining what it was like to feel secure, before taking an audition in hopes of finding such a feeling…

"'Sup, dude?"

Leave it to Junpei to break him out of his moment of angst. "Morning, Junpei… I thought you were going to be sleeping in?" Makoto responded, as his best friend sat next to him.

The class-clown scoffed, thumbing towards the window. "With this racket going on? I'm lucky I got any sleep last night! Just listen to that!"

Makoto paused, hearing the sound of rain hitting the window panes while thunder rumbled, a howling wind cutting into the symphony of the storm. "Whoa, it's still going on? I figured it would have calmed down by now…"

"Ha, it HAS calmed down! …At least the power kicked back on this morning, or didn't you notice?"

"Yeah… I noticed when my lights flashed on and blinded me at 7 AM. Next time, I'm going to make sure the light-switch is off, ha ha—ah-atchoo!" Makoto covered his mouth, sniffling. "Ugh… that is, if this cold doesn't kill me, first…"

"Still feeling like crap, huh? You must've gotten drenched yesterday- either that, or it's from you sleeping on the floor. …Mind explaining that, by the way?"

The protagonist shrugged. "I was just really exhausted. I'm lucky I made it up the stairs, before I passed out! …Since we're on the subject, why did you set me on the couch instead of in my bed?"

Junpei scoffed. "Yeah right- I nearly threw out my back picking you up!"

Makoto poked Junpei in the arm. "That's because you barely have any muscle. Maybe instead of sleeping all the time, you should start working out,"

His friend crossed his arms, giving him a look. "Hey, I'm in shape… you just need to lose weight, 'fatso'."

"Right. I'm 'fat', and you're 'macho'."

"And I'll prove it…!" Junpei caught his friend in a choke-hold, giving him a noogie.

"Ack! Hey! I was kidding…!"

By this time, Aigis was coming out of the kitchen. "What are you two doing?" she asked, setting down a cup of tea.

"Just messing around," Junpei said, releasing Makoto, nudging him while grinning. His friend rubbed his neck, sticking his tongue out at him.

Aigis rolled her eyes, pushing the cup of tea towards Makoto. "No messing around until your condition improves, Makoto-san. You won't get well if you don't take it easy," she then turned to Junpei."Speaking of health, how is Chidori doing, Junpei-san?"

"She'll be out soon. I'm going to be calling her this afternoon," he then smirked. "…That is, unless she can't wait and calls me first."

*Pipipipi!* came a ringing sound from the class-clown's pocket, as if on-cue.

"Wow- talk about great timing!" Junpei took out his phone… though once he saw the Caller ID, his smile faded.

"Who is it?" Makoto asked.

"Not Chidori… Hang on, I gotta take this." He answered the phone as he got up from the table, heading upstairs to take the call in private. "(…Yeah, what do you want…?)"

Aigis looked at Makoto. "Who do you suppose it is?" she asked.

The protagonist shrugged. "No ide- ATCHOO!"

*Thud!*

His sneeze was so powerful, it caused him to fall back in his chair. Koromaru let out a yelp, barely avoiding getting crushed.

Aigis rushed to his side. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"…price check on Aisle 12…" Makoto responded, a bit dazed.

Aigis helped him on his feet, guiding him over to the couch and having him lie down. She felt his forehead. "At least your fever's gone down a little," she went back to the table, grabbing his tea and setting it on the coffee-table.

"Yeah… hopefully it'll break, soon (ugh, my head is killing me)…"

"Is the ice-pack still in your room?"

He nodded.

"I'll go get it- I'll put some fresh ice in it," With that, Aigis went upstairs.

Makoto rubbed his head, looking over at Koromaru. "…Alright, so I should have stayed in bed. You win." He commented.

…Either he was imagining things, or the Sheba Inu gave a triumphant grin.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"… _Seriously?! It's storming outside, and you expected me to walk home?! …I did try to call you- you didn't answer! …Fuck- I did leave you a damn message! …Yes, I'm at the dorm, where else would I- what? …Oh, yeah, great to hear that from you! Thanks for all your support! …I was being sarcastic- dammit, did you get drunk this early?! …Alright, fuck you then!"_

 _*Crack!*_

" _Dammit… fucking dammit…!"_

Aigis stood outside Junpei's door. Despite he wasn't exactly shouting, she still cringed as if he had been yelling in her face.

The sound she heard afterward sounded as if he threw his phone against the wall.

Backing away, she wondered who it was that made him so angry…

His door swung open just then, startling her. "…Aigis?" he lightly gasped.

A heavy silence followed. Only the sound of the storm outside filled the quiet hall.

Junpei shifted. "…did you hear everything?"

"…yes." She admitted. "Junpei…?"

"D-Don't ask about it, alright? It's nothing. …Did you need something?"

She shook her head. "No. But… What-"

"I said don't ask!" His tone was a bit harsh, shocking her. He took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his head. "…I don't want to talk about it right now, okay?"

She nodded. "…Are you alright?"

"…kind of. I'm going to go downstairs and watch some TV. That should get my mind off it," he began walking, though paused and looked at her. "Just don't tell anyone what you heard. I don't want everyone acting up about it. Promise?"

"I promise… only if we can talk about it later, okay?"

Junpei sighed, but nodded. "Sure." With that, he walked downstairs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Makoto looked up from the magazine at the clock. It was noon.

Three hours had passed since the dorm fell into silence.

Aigis had spent most of the time studying, or bringing Makoto soup and orange juice to help with his cold. Junpei was watching an action movie on TV, though didn't seem too engrossed in it like he normally would- which meant either he had seen it plenty of times before, or something was wrong.

With the strong silence, Makoto put money on the latter.

Outside, the rains had eased up, but the sky was still dark, as if it were just the eye of the storm. Aigis decided to take Koromaru on a walk to the shrine before the storm acted up again, promising to be back in a few minutes.

Junpei had fallen asleep on the couch, sitting upright with his head resting on his arm. Though he normally looked peaceful, outside of his mouth hanging open once in a while, this time he looked… tense. Whatever was on his mind that would make the laid-back co-actor so upset?

Makoto didn't know. All he knew was that Junpei was in a good mood until he received that phone-call.

He stood up, pacing around, trying to get his own thoughts together. In just the last 12 hours, he had experienced a horrible fever-dream, developed one headache after another (often from bumping his head), and now something was troubling his friends- and he had zero idea how to figure it out.

 _Some 'leader' I'd be in real-life…_ the teen chastised himself. _I don't even know what's going on with my friends._

He hung his head low, leaning against the side of the couch, feeling energy leaving his body. Crap, he couldn't even stay standing for more than five minutes without feeling exhausted. He could feel his fever rising again, and his head was swimming again; he sat down, putting his face in his hands, trying to cease the nausea.

Damn, he felt weak…

Weak.

Just like he felt before he had took up the audition.

His hand rested on his stomach, and he winced.

That's all he was- weak. Hell, he didn't even have his own 'character'- he was just an empty shell for players to fill with their own personalities, to choose what he said, where to go, who to hang out with, when to sleep… like he had no free will at all.

Granted, he got the role because he could hide his emotions well- the director claimed other characters who had auditioned had 'too much' personality… but there was a reason why he was so good at hiding his emotions.

Over the years, he had to teach himself not to show any emotion- just to appear strong.

Right now though…

He didn't feel strong.

Maybe it was because of his cold. Maybe it was because of the memories he had spent years repressing. Maybe it was his exhaustion. …Or maybe he didn't know if he could pull off hiding his feelings off-camera.

On camera it was easy- as a kid, he never smiled at the camera, so it was a simple habit to carry into his teens.

But when the camera was off… when he was alone…

 _No… not here…!_ Makoto ordered himself, feeling as if another set of tears were going to break free. It was bad enough Aigis and Junpei had seen him crying in his sleep- that he could get away with.

But to cry while wide awake… right next to his friend…

 _I gotta get up to my room…_ he told himself- though he was afraid that if he moved, he'd collapse again; not to mention if he moved his hands away, the tears would be unleashed- combine that with a cold, and the sobs would come out heavy.

He didn't know how heavy a sleeper Junpei was- but he didn't want to risk finding out.

Then there was the fact Aigis would be coming through the door any moment, and he didn't want to get her more upset than she already seemed to be…

He felt stuck.

 _Fuck… why can't I get a grip?!_ He scolded himself, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in them. He held his breath, trying to keep from letting a sob escape.

"… _not weak…"_

His friend's voice came out in a murmur, so quiet and muffled that the protagonist would have missed it, if he wasn't sitting right next to him. He noticed his brows furrowed in his sleep- as if whatever he was dreaming about really pissed him off.

Makoto bit his bottom lip. The only time he had seen Junpei pissed was when they were acting- and even then it felt unsettling, until the take was done and his friend would crack a smile. …Except when the protagonist would accidentally give him the wrong answer during class- he was still wondering how the class clown would get back at him, like he said he would on occasion.

But… why would he bring up not being weak in his dream?

 _Did it have something to do about our cracks at each other, earlier?_ The protagonist pondered; sure, his friend had trouble carrying him… but, hell, at least he managed to pick him up. That wasn't exactly considered weak…

Junpei then shifted his position, moving to lie down and stretch out on the couch, forcing Makoto to get up before his feet kicked him; he didn't want to take any risks…

Standing up now, combined with all the strength he was using up in trying not to cry, his exhaustion was starting to take its toll; his legs wobbled a bit, making him crouch down, hands resting on the coffee-table.

 _Easy… easy…_

Slowly, he stood up, keeping steady.

He looked across the room. Maybe he could head into the bathroom and hang out there for a few minutes, just until this feeling passed.

 _Easy… easy…_

Carefully as he could, he tried to shuffle around one end of the coffee-table.

He froze, feeling something building up.

 _Shit! Not now! Not-_

"Ah-Ah-AH… ATCHOO!"

*Fwump!*

"UNGH! …WHAT THE HELL?!"

Within just 3 seconds, Makoto's only plan to get out of his situation blew up completely, as he now found himself sitting on Junpei's stomach, after having lost his balance due to yet another powerful sneeze.

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!

That's all that went through his mind, and he remained still- shaking a bit, even though his fever shot up further. Or maybe it was just because of the embarrassment of the situation.

"Dude… what the fuck…?!" Junpei snarled, pushing his friend off his stomach. "Geez, can't a guy even take a nap anymore?!"

"S-S-S…Sorry!" Makoto stammered- his voice cracking. He stood up quick-

Too quick, as he stumbled and fell on his hands and knees. His exhaustion was reaching its peak… he felt one tear escape.

Junpei stood up. "Mako-san…? Hey, are you alright?" he asked.

 _Shit! …Don't let him see!_

"F-Fine!" Makoto replied, getting back on his feet and heading towards the stairs. Forget the bathrooms- he had to get to his room where he could lock the door.

"Wait- Makoto!" Junpei went after him.

Fuck!

Hiding from Junpei was one thing… but Makoto had no chance in outrunning him. His best friend may not have been a professional athlete, but damn he could run!

His only hope would be making it to the top of the stairs and turn a sharp corner; Ken's room was vacant, maybe he could hide in there-

He gave up on planning an escape before he was even at the stairs.

The trail of water from yesterday was still on the floor, and he ended up slipping, falling backwards-

"Gotcha- oof!" Junpei exclaimed, his arms having caught his best-friend around the abdomen… though he slipped a bit in his catch, so they both ended up sitting on the ground.

Makoto remained still, outside the fact that he was trembling, trying to keep his breath steady. Three more tears had escaped, and more prepared to follow. _No… no… no…_ he kept telling himself, trying to force them in.

"Makoto… what's with you?!" Junpei demanded. Makoto tried to pull away, but his best friend kept his arms locked around him. "Nuh uh- tell me what's going on!"

 _Please… not now…!_ He shut his eyes tight, holding his breath, gritting his teeth, trying to hold back…

It did no good.

A sob escaped… and he couldn't stop himself after that.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Junpei held on to his friend, as if he were a wild animal trying to break loose.

As soon as he started to sob, his concern spiked. He knew something was wrong with Makoto the moment his friend tried to run off- something he never did… that is, unless the two of them did something to piss off Mitsuru or Shinjiro- but those are stories for another day.

"Mako-san… c'mon, talk to me! What's the matter?" he asked, still keeping a hold on Makoto.

"I… I jus- *cough*" Makoto tried to reply… but his sore throat, mixed with sobs, made it hard. He pointed up the stairs when he tried to speak, giving his friend the notion that he wanted to be in his room.

Junpei looked up the stairs, then at his friend, giving a nod. He shifted his position, pulling one of Makoto's arms around his neck, hanging onto it with one hand, while slipping the other around the protagonist's abdomen. "…Ready?"

Makoto sniffled, giving a nod.

Carefully, Junpei helped his friend up the stairs; unlike last night, it was a little simpler, as Makoto was using a bit of his own strength to walk… but as exhausted as he already was, the class clown knew he couldn't hold up forever.

His best friend was starting to slow down before they were halfway down the hall; not wanting to repeat the incident from last night and end up struggling to carry him, Junpei decided to just pull him into his own room, setting him down on the bed.

He shut the door, before walking over sitting down next to the protagonist. "Alright. Let it out." He coaxed.

Tears welled up in his best friend's eyes, and he buried his face in his hands, unleashing another sob.

It was obvious to see his friend didn't want to be seen crying… so Junpei only turned around, looking at a few posters on the wall. His eyes drifted towards his cell-phone on the floor- the battery having popped out after he had chucked it earlier.

He ended up thinking about Aigis- the stunned look on her face when he opened the door, seeing she had heard him shouting at his father on the phone.

And now- beyond his belief- Makoto was crying. Not in his sleep, but completely awake.

He thought about how Aigis described his fever-dream... and felt like an asshole for not addressing it, but instead thinking it was just a nightmare.

…Okay, moment of redemption begins now.

Once Makoto's sobs slowed down, Junpei turned towards him. "Ready to talk?" he asked in a gentle tone, resting a hand on his shoulder.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Makoto's eyes drifted to the phone on the floor. He didn't hear Junpei's question, so he responded with one of his own. "…who called you this morning?" he asked- his voice still raspy; he sniffled a bit.

"Huh?" Junpei responded, taken off-guard.

"This morning… you were fine, until you got a phone-call. Then afterwards you… you were quiet, and Aigis looked upset. …Who called, and what did they say?"

He felt his friend's grip on his shoulder tighten slightly; he only shook his head. "First you answer my question, then I'll answer yours. …What's wrong? You were fine earlier, and suddenly you just… break down."

Makoto bit his bottom lip, still looking at the floor.

He had never told anyone about his past- not even the writer. When they asked what his parents were like… he only stated how he 'wished' they were like, before asking if he could be written as an orphan.

After that, he moved into the dorm, vowing to never look back and never talk about it.

…then that damn fever-dream had to happen…

He felt an arm wrap around him. "C'mon, you can tell your best buddy, can't you? …I gotta know what the problem is with my pal in order to help him," Junpei coaxed in a gentle tone.

A lump formed in Makoto's throat. "…promise not to tell…?" he asked, his voice coming out in a whisper; he suddenly felt like a small child confiding a secret, instead of a teen who was about to tell someone about his past.

Junpei's hold on him seemed to tighten gently; his eyes seemed to drift towards the cell-phone. After a moment, he replied. "Yeah. I promise."

Makoto shut his eyes, trying to think. If it were anyone else, he'd have remained silent… but ever since he joined the cast at the dorm, establishing a friendship with practically everyone, he began to rediscover a sense of trust he had forgotten long ago.

And if he couldn't trust his best friend… well, shit, there went his hope for humanity.

With a shaky hand, he slowly lifted up his shirt…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He expected a story about his best friend's parents hitting him… but he didn't expect to see a scar.

"What the…?" Junpei whispered, in appalled astonishment. The scar was almost invisible, looking as if it had been fading over the years, but against his friend's pale skin it was pretty clear. "I-I never saw that when we were at the beach-"

"I had the make-up crew cover it." Makoto answered. "I only told them it was from an accident I had as a kid, and I didn't want everyone freaking out about it. …I got it when I was seven."

"H-Huh…?! How?!"

Makoto shut his eyes, lowering his shirt; his hands were folded together in his lap, as he continued to stare at the ground. "…my parents."

The protagonist bit his bottom lip again, trying not to cry again. Junpei could only sit there, keeping an arm around him. He looked back at his cell-phone.

He hung his head low. "…you're not alone, there." He pulled his arm away, standing up and walking over to pick up the phone; he then leaned against the door, arms crossed. "My ol' man's an alcoholic. One time… he came home so fucking hammered, he ended up punching my lights out. I had a black-eye for over a week, telling all the other kids that some goon just picked a fight with me. I was twelve at the time, and I didn't want everyone thinking I was some wimp who needed saving,"

Makoto looked up at him. "So…your dad was drunk when he hurt you…"

Junpei nodded.

The protagonist looked back down. "…I wish that was the case with my dad. …I still don't know why, but… he always got so worked up when I was around- and my mom kept looking at me like I was some sort of disappointment." He held his side. "…they pushed me into a chain-linked fence- a few wires were sticking out… and before I knew it, I was getting stitches.

"As the years went by, I just… I didn't understand why they kept me around, because they acted like they never wanted a kid- they started working longer hours at work as I got older, so I had to take care of myself. …When I heard about the auditions for a part in _Persona 3,_ with a transfer to a new high-school, I took the opportunity- and I haven't heard from them since the day I left."

Junpei looked at him, not knowing what to say. "Geez… your parents were assholes." He responded after a minute.

"Yeah…" Makoto drew in a steady breath, letting it out. "As a kid, I kept my emotions bottled up, thinking that- if I didn't let them know they hurt me- things would improve. …eventually, it became a habit, and I started hiding my emotions from everyone." He looked up at Junpei. "That's why I tried to run off… I didn't want you- or anyone- to see me cry,"

The best friend rubbed the back of his neck, walking over. "Well… it's not that big of deal, dude- showing your emotions, I mean. Ya gotta let it out sometime, otherwise it'll just get worse." He then smirked. "…Otherwise, you'll end up all moody like Shinjiro,"

Makoto scoffed, but exchanged a smirk."Very funny, Junpei…" He let out a sigh. "…you won't tell anyone about this, right?"

Junpei nodded… though paused, considering something. "I promise… but only if you tell them yourself later on- when you're ready. …Better start with Aigis, she looked pretty worked up about it."

"Is that why she was so upset this afternoon?"

"Well… no." Junpei looked at his phone, putting the battery back in. "She, uh… heard me fighting with my dad on the phone. …I guess she's worried about both of us."

Makoto nodded. "…let's not make her worry anymore."

"Heh, good idea."

0o0o0oo0o0o0

Makoto stood up, walking towards the door. Now that he had gotten everything off his chest, he felt like a bit of strength had returned.

Only problem was his fever… but even that seemed to be going back down.

Junpei followed him back to his room, where the protagonist claimed he was going to lie down for a while; he returned the 'extra' blanket to his best friend, wrapping up in his own.

He shut his eyes, hearing his friend's cell-phone ring…

" _Hey, Chi! …Problems? Nah, nothing I couldn't handle."_

Smiling, Makoto let himself drift to sleep.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When Aigis walked through the door with Koromaru, she was relieved to see Junpei talking on the phone with a smile on his face- proof he was talking to Chidori.

She noticed Makoto wasn't in the lounge, deducing he must have gone back to bed; as if coming to the same conclusion, Koromaru went upstairs to find him.

She sat down on the couch, watching television. A few minutes went by before she realized Junpei had finished talking with Chidori until he said something to her.

"That call I got this morning… it was my dad. He was chewing me out for not coming home, and for staying at the dorm more than at home- kept saying I was a waste of space and other shit."

Aigis looked at him in surprise. "…Why would he talk like that to you?" she asked.

Junpei shrugged. "He was drunk- he's an alcoholic… but it's nothing I can't handle."

"Are you sure? You sounded really angry…" Aigis rubbed her arm-suddenly wishing she still had her robo-gear on in order to feel like she had some sort of strength.

"Hey, it's alright now!" As if to reassure her, Junpei put an arm around her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm here with you guys- not home with him. I'm okay. …And on other good news, Mako-san's feeling better, too!"

"Really?" Aigis looked up the stairs. "…did he ever bring up last night?"

"Yeah… but that's something for him to tell you when he's ready. Alright?"

"Alright." Aigis began walking towards the stairs. "I'm going to go check on him-"

"Whoa, hold on!" Junpei ran into the kitchen, running back out with a dry dish-towel, throwing it on the floor where he had it soak up the water. "…Forgot to clean that up last night. Can't risk anyone slipping *cough*again*cough*,"

Aigis chuckled. "Right." She then walked upstairs, Junpei following. "I'm just glad things are looking up-"

*Bzzzt!*

The power went out once again; outside, lightning flashed as thunder roared, revealing a second rainstorm had hit. "…Damn. Good thing you and Koro-chan got in here in time," Junpei stated.

"Yeah- now if only the power would stop going out," Aigis joked, and they walked down the hall. With the power out and the skies dark with clouds, it felt like night.

They looked in Makoto's room… seeing he was shivering uncontrollably. Koromaru was lying on his legs. "Woof," the canine yipped, as if asking what to do.

"His fever must have broken. I'll go get him another blanket," Aigis whispered.

"…Not off my bed this time, please." Junpei cracked. He walked over, looking at his best friend, feeling his forehead- glad to find that his fever was gone and his temperature returned to normal.

He sat down on the side of the bed, rubbing Koromaru's head. He and his best friend had exchanged something personal in their lives, which meant- if this were part of a Social Link test- their bond was stronger.

"I guess we've really become close friends, huh?" Junpei whispered, mainly to himself.

"Mmhmm…" came a muffled sigh… and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around his waist again. "…so warm…"

"Ah, shit, not again! …Mako-san, wake up! …C'mon, dude, uh- y-you're having another nightmare! Makoto! …MAKOTO! Are you faking!?"

The only response he received was a quiet snore.

Junpei turned towards Koromaru. "Help me out here, Koro-chan!"

In response… the Sheba Inu just yawned and circled around on the bed… lying down on both Makoto's legs and Junpei's lap.

Junpei gave a deadpanned look. "…so much for 'Man's Best Friend'."

Aigis came back in."How's he… feeling?" she asked, pausing awkwardly when she noticed the position her friends were in.

"He's feeling 'cuddly'. …I think the cold settled in his brain,"

Aigis held back a chuckle. "Do you need me to do anything?"

Junpei sighed, looking at his friend latched onto his abdomen, the canine sprawled across the lap, and the storm that was still going on. "Yeah… go get me an extra pillow- and don't tell anyone about this!"

Aigis nodded, smiling as she went off to fulfill the request.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Originally, this was just going to be a simple little one-shot where Makoto was sick and Junpei, Aigis, and Koromaru took care of him, but once the idea of 'fever-dreams' came up I decided to throw in some angst.

I also took a lot of creative liberties, such as having Aigis as a human-actor who looks like a robot on-camera (amazing what they can do with CGI, right? Lol) and giving Makoto a different backstory than his original one- I may give him a different one in another chapter, but we'll see. I was just throwing out creativity like frickin' confetti.

Also it's been storming here all weekend, so that served as great inspiration for the story.

…and yeah I couldn't help but throw in another 'Catherine' shout-out.

As always, I'm open to requests!

Please review… but no flames or I'll lock you outside during a typhoon.


	4. Was It All An Act?

O-kay, I've reached the 'Chidori Arc' of the game … I had to write something!

Yeah, yeah, I'm pathetic. Just read!

 _Setting:_ After Chidori's death-scene in the game.

 _Summary:_ Chidori thinks about all that's happened since she first joined the cast… and realizes everything seemed more than just an act.

 _Shipping:_ Chidori x Junpei (naturally ^-^)

And of course, I can't forget the **Reviewer Thanks!**

 **Phoenix Blaire4869:** Subtlety was never my strongest suit, but glad it gave you some laughs :)

 **Guest:** Me too, that's why I like to throw in moments like that (and it probably won't be the only time).

Disclaimer: If I owned the game, there would've been a happy ending on this arc.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Chidori sighed, as she sat at the vanity in her dressing-room. She had completed her final scene for the game, and had changed out of her Gothic-Lolita dress, which was now hanging up, covered by a plastic guard so it wouldn't be damaged. Now, she was wearing a black short-dress with web-patterned see-through sleeves, dark-purple pants, and matching black boots.

As she tied back her hair, she looked at her dress. The one reason she agreed to partake in the game was because she heard the actors could wear anything they wanted, and the writer was seeking people with unique tastes in attire alongside personalities.

Her co-stars, Takaya and Jin, pretty much took advantage of this with full stride. Jin wore a black-and-green nerd get-up, while Takaya went for more of a bold route and came in shirtless.

" _You look like Keith Cobain if he were a hippie,"_ Jin cracked to Takaya.

" _Better than looking like Urkel if he were a Batman villain,"_ Takaya retorted, and everyone on the set had to laugh.

Nevertheless, they stuck with their choice of costumes (or 'lack of', in Takaya's case), and the writer passed them for auditions, admiring their charisma and character.

Chidori remembered how crucial she felt the moment was.

Other girls who were auditioning were wearing a variety of clothing- some wore scantily clothing as if they could 'seduce' their way in, while others wore more dignified clothes, such as long dresses or school uniforms, and someone also wore a kimono; at one point, one girl came in dressed as a boy… though the writer claimed that was going to be used in the 4th game.

She had been sitting in a quiet room away from the rest of the girls, who kept trying on different outfits or trying to best each other in executing lines. Sketchbook in-hand, she had been drawing, when she noticed a rack of costumes being rolled into a storage room.

That's when she spotted the dress.

" _Excuse me… is it alright if I try this on?"_ she had asked the stage-hand, who shrugged and handed it over.

" _Go ahead- no one's going to be wearing these outfits, unless they're aiming for a medieval-fantasy scene next,"_ he had replied, before going on his way.

Chidori had taken the dress to the changing room. All the girls had stared at her. _"Is she serious?" "Maybe she's trying out for a different part…" "I didn't see that hanging up, anywhere,"_ a few girls whispered to one another, but she ignored them.

After changing, she looked at herself in the mirror, holding back a smile. What no one knew was she always admired dresses like these, since she was a small child.

" _She looks like a princess,"_ One girl giggled.

" _Maybe that's what she's aiming for,"_ another chuckled.

She ignored them. That wasn't the reason she liked the dresses… she was always fascinated with anything gothic; to find a Gothic-Lolita dress hanging up, unused, gave her the same feeling as one who had found an artifact they had been searching to find for centuries.

" _Are you honestly going to wear that for the audition?"_ One girl had scoffed.

" _No. I just wanted to wear it,"_ Chidori had replied, before walking out of the room with the dress, and sitting down somewhere quiet with her sketchbook.

A couple hours had passed before someone called her. _"Chidori Yoshino?"_

She looked up, seeing it was the protagonist of the game, Makoto. _"…Yes?"_ she asked calmly.

" _We're ready for you."_ "

" _Very well."_ Closing her sketchbook, she followed Makoto out the door and to a set by the movie theater.

She had felt butterflies in her stomach, suddenly having second-thoughts about her choice in attire- she hadn't been planning on wearing a costume of any kind…

" _Right here,"_ Makoto said, pointing to a spot near a bench. _"The director wants you to sit here and do whatever you want; then Junpei is going to walk by and stop in front of you. React the same way you would to anyone else,"_

Chidori had looked around, noticing there was a lack of cameras. _"Where is everyone? I don't see the cameras anywhere,"_

" _They're hidden; the director wants to capture a sincere reaction. Good luck,"_ With that, Makoto had walked off.

Chidori lightly chuckled at the memory- she had felt so nervous, taking in deep breaths and sitting down, looking around to see where Junpei would be coming in from… though she didn't know what he looked like, and with a few people passing by, she had kept looking up, though no one stopped.

After five minutes, she had started drawing in her sketchbook; she didn't know how much time went by, as she became focused on her drawing.

Sketching had always been the one thing she loved to do. One reason she had taken up the audition was for the transfer to Ikkouten High, as it had classes that provided art scholarships. She learned this from her friend, Keisuke, who had transferred last spring- and, ironically, became a 'Social Link' character after the production started.

As she had sketched, she forgot she was secretly on camera.

That is, until someone had stopped and stood in her light. _"…Move,"_ she replied, automatically.

"… _Huh?"_ replied a voice. She looked up, seeing a teenager in a sleeveless T-shirt and a cap.

" _You're in my light,"_

" _Oh… Sorry,"_ The teen walked on, and she resumed drawing.

A few seconds later, the director, Noriaki Akitaya, came up to her. _"That was wonderful, Yoshino!"_ he exclaimed.

" _E-Excuse me?"_ she had gasped, looking up.

" _Your reaction, it was so sincere- so vivid- so realistic! Just what we were hoping for! …And that dress- Gotchic-Lolita, is it? A great choice, really helps you stand out!"_ He motioned her to walk with him. _"I'd like you to do a couple more scenes- go over a couple lines with Takaya and Jin, and do another reaction-scene with Junpei."_

" _Junpei… You mean that was Junpei?"_ Chidori blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed. _"I had no idea… I-If I had known-"_

" _It's perfectly alright! It was just what we were looking for! …Trust me, you did a LOT better than the last few girls. They either acted too giddy, too sexual, or too nervous! …Heck, one crazy girl squealed like a maniac and tackled him in a hug!"_

 **(a/n: I deny everything!)**

Chidori only nodded. _"I see… So, I assume this means I get the part?"_

" _Without a doubt! …The writer was actually hoping we'd find someone like you- strong-willed, well-focused, and a unique sense of style. Come to the rehearsal room- you can read over some lines with Takaya and Jin, there. You'll be working with them the first part of your role…"_ The director went on, going over what kind of scenes she'll be in, and what kind situations she'd be in.

Chidori finished brushing her hair, putting on a black bandana with purple rose-prints on it. She looked in the mirror at her reflection, feeling something seemed different since she first joined the cast. She only joined in hopes of a good transfer and a scholarship… but she ended up gaining something more.

Rehearsing with Takaya and Jin was as fun as it could get. Takaya played the 'charismatic-yet-sinister' villain, having a look in his eyes that promised death with a smirk that said 'And I'm cool with it'.

Outside his role, he loved to mess around- at one point, pretended to be pushing Jin off the roof. _"They're leaving now- follow 'em, Jin!"_ he exclaimed, grabbing Jin by the shirt and pushing him towards the edge, only to yank him back.

" _Augh! Not funny, Takaya!"_ Jin snapped, elbowing his co-actor. His personality matched his role- no-nonsense and having to make sure Takaya didn't go overboard.

Honestly, there were no other co-actors who spent the most time picking on each other (well, mostly Takaya picking on Jin), or arguing with each other (Jin with Takaya, mostly)… yet still managed to maintain a stable friendship.

Not that Chidori expected to be friends- though to her surprise, that's what Akitaya wanted to see: how everyone bonded, in order to help the game have a true, real feel to it. She had expected everyone to be 'buddy-buddy' for the camera, and once the scene was done they'd go on to complain, argue with each other, or retreat to their dressing-rooms… something Hollywood celebrities often did.

Looking around as time went by, she noticed everyone was quite close; Yukari offered to take Fuuka and Aigis out shopping from time to time; Mitsuru helped Makoto with his homework whenever he felt he was falling behind; Akihiko and Shinjiro spent a lot of time helping Ken out with his battle scenes when it came time for the boy to start taking part in battle-sequences…

Then came Junpei- basically the one who had an established relationship with everyone. He was Makoto's best-friend- though he had been jealous of Makoto's role having 'more options' while his character had to seem 'automatic', which went on for some time before he managed to calm down, the two of them making amends.

Yukari saw him as an idiot, and he saw her as uptight, both of them picking on each other almost more than Takaya and Jin, but still had a stable friendship going. Fuuka was quite shy around him at first, but warmed up to him in time- and he was careful to treat her decently, so not to make her upset.

He and Akihiko got along well, often training with each other, going over lines, or joking around about a scene- perhaps the one that had them both laughing was their 'quest' on the beach, involving hitting on girls (Chidori only heard about this, though as hard as everyone was laughing she wished she had seen it for herself).

Ken he treated like a little brother, often helping him go over homework or giving him tips in case the boy ever forgot his lines (Junpei, she learned quick, was the master of improvising during production). As for Shinjiro, Junpei thought he was a badass- though was careful not to piss him off. When he did- well, everyone found out just how fast the class-clown could run.

He and Ryoji were practically like twin-brothers: always checking out or flirting with girls, cracking jokes, or often setting up pranks- or getting back at his little brother, Pharos, for his pranks. _"I wish Mom and Dad didn't give him permission to hang around, after his scene was done- he's a real pain in the ass!"_ Ryoji had remarked one day.

" _Well, duh- how else would we tell you two were related?"_ Junpei joked in retort.

Then came the student-council president. Mitsuru was always advising he keep up with his studies, helping him out with lines, and making sure he was working to his full potential- as she did with everyone.

After working with her herself, Chidori learned she was quite stern, but also had a kind enough nature to help out any of her co-stars when they needed it, earning everyone's respect. …Especially after she showed her fierce side during the 'hot springs' scene.

Chidori paused, looking at a small table where her sketchbooks sat. She had two of them now- one she had brought with her, and one Junpei had given her.

One thing they had in common was improvising- though Chidori did it mostly because the director advised he wanted the moment to feel realistic, only having a few lines to memorize. But when it came to her interactions with Junpei…

She shook her head. Surely it was all just acting.

Or… at least it seemed to be, most of the time.

During one take, she had accidentally cut her hand running through a thorn-bush- having been in a rush to get the scene, as she had been running late that morning- yet dismissed it as a minor scratch and went on with the scene. However, Junpei immediately noticed it was bleeding and was quick to mend it. Chidori kept in-character, acting as it was no big deal (after all, it barely hurt). …This gave the writer some ideas to throw in about Chidori's character inflicting pain on herself.

Then came the whole 'kidnapping' scene- which she had to admit, was pretty fun. Junpei kept making 'S&M' jokes _. "No offense, Chi, but I'm not really into bondage!"_ he joked during one take.

"… _Then heed my demands, or I get the whip,"_ Chidori decided to joke back.

" _Alright, you two, that's enough improvising!"_ The director called, though he had to stifle a snicker.

They did their real lines afterwards… and then came the one that put Chidori's thoughts on hold. _"So… was it all an act?"_ Junpei had asked in a quiet tone.

It was that line that really made her mind race, as she paused to think. No matter how many times she had rehearsed that line with him, she still couldn't decide a real answer, herself; yes, they were acting for the camera… but exactly how much of it was an act?

Outside everyone else, Junpei was the first one to help her feel the most comfortable. Eventually, as the production went on, she got used to sitting in her place by the theater, growing less and less nervous about the cameras as she thought about how their scene would go today- would he crack a joke, flirt with her, or bring Makoto along this time? It was hard to say considering Junpei was free to improvise.

Perhaps the scene that made her relate to him most was when he 'accidentally revealed' the SEES operation, bringing up how they were like heroes… only later to realize, once the 'Dark Hour' was gone, he wouldn't have much purpose. …She felt like that too- unless she managed to get the scholarship and get into a good art school, she wouldn't have much to do after the production was done with.

What really brought them close was the end of the 'kidnapping' take. During the scene where Junpei managed to break free of his bonds and tackle Chidori, she felt an ache in her side- her co-actor apologized, though she claimed she would be alright.

Unfortunately, the pain kept increasing, and she had to see a doctor, revealing she had appendicitis, and had to undergo surgery before the case grew too severe.

Afterwards, she had to stay in the hospital to recover- which worked well, as the writer claimed the next scene would be taking place at one anyway, claiming once Chidori felt well enough they could do some takes in her room; with the doctor's consent, Chidori agreed so.

Chidori picked up a sketchbook, looking at the pictures she had drawn in it, blushing a bit. She remembered how Junpei surprised everyone- especially her- by bringing it in as a 'get well' gift for her. Originally, he was supposed to bring flowers… but he felt she would like a new sketchbook better.

It wasn't that he was the only one who brought her gifts. Yukari had brought her a card the whole cast had signed; Ken had brought Koromaru in to visit her (the dog was too cute not to pet); and Aigis and Fuuka had bought her a Japanese doll. Even Shinjiro, the badass of the cast, brought her a dish he prepared himself ( _"The shit they serve here probably_ keeps _people sick,"_ he had scoffed).

Takaya and Jin visited her often, often to go over lines, but also to make sure she was doing well. They were the ones who brought her flowers, which later became useful for another scene. _"Get well soon, quick- I don't want to spend all my scenes with Poindexter, here."_ Takaya joked.

" _You're one to talk, Mr. Flower-Child,"_ Jin had retorted. Chidori had to laugh at both of them, wondering why they couldn't have had more funny material put in for their scenes.

She closed the sketchbook, holding it close to her chest, wincing a bit. Now that her arc was done, there was no reason for her to stick around- just go to school, graduate, go to college, and focus on her future.

Only problem was she had grown so close to everyone that she didn't want to go. She felt at-home here- hanging out with Yukari, Fuuka, and Aigis on their days off; watching the guys goof around and crack jokes; being allowed to wear her Gothic-Lolita dress without facing any judgment…

But she couldn't be an actress, forever. She didn't want to be one of those girls who focused on being famous and abandoning all else. She knew from the start that it was just going to be a temporary role.

Shinjiro, whose character had died before hers had to, went back to school, only stopping by once in a while to see how things were going, and to help out. He even took a catering-job for the production.

Chidori… well, she just wanted to get an art scholarship. Now, she wanted to stay.

*Knock knock knock*

"Hey, it's me! Mind if I come in?" came an all-too-familiar voice.

"Junpei?" Chidori responded, opening the door.

"Whoa!" Was his first reaction, as he looked her up and down. "Chidori…? Something looks different about you," he then grinned. "Don't tell me- new haircut?"

Chidori rolled her eyes, but had to smile; she didn't realize that, outside her hospital gown, this was the first time her co-star had seen her in an outfit other than her dress. "You honestly didn't think I wore normal clothes?" she replied.

Junpei looked at her dress, hanging up. "I figured close like those _were_ normal for you,"

"Hilarious. What do you want?"

Junpei rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh… was wondering if you'd like to hang out, tonight. You know, now that we don't have to worry about camera-crews following us around, ha ha."

She rubbed her arm. "Well… I was actually going to study. Since my role is done, I decided I should put more effort back into my schoolwork. It is important to concentrate on grades more than fame, isn't it?"

"Um, yeah, I guess… Alright, maybe another time, w-when you're not busy." He seemed disappointed, beginning to walk off.

Chidori watched him walk, feeling her heart grow heavy. She picked up her sketchbooks, holding them in front of her. She looked at the first one- full of sketches of flowers, buildings, and random stills she had been working on since before she came to the set. Then she looked at the second…

 _This is ridiculous._ She finally told herself. There was no reason she couldn't go to school and still hang out with the friends she had gained.

"Junpei!" she called, running out after him. He stopped shortly, and she bumped into him, dropping her sketchbooks- one of them falling open. She gasped reaching down quick to pick it up.

Junpei picked it up first, looking at the picture. He arched an eyebrow, turning to another page, and then another. "…Chidori," he whispered.

"G-Give it back!" She stammered, quite embarrassed.

He flashed her a grin, closing it and handing it back. "You're a really good artist."

She exhaled, her face flushed. "Please don't tell anyone…"

"I won't, I won't… But, why me?"

Chidori rubbed her arm again. "While I was in the hospital, I filled out my other one- it was just full of things I saw around the room, and I was growing bored. When I started drawing in the one you gave me, I decided to draw something from memory."

His grin spread. "And I was the only one who came to mind?"

She blushed deeper. "N-No! …I just remembered you better than the others, that's all. You and I spent more scenes together, so it makes sense." She picked up her other sketchbook, holding them both close. "…Speaking of which… I decided to accept your offer of hanging out, tonight."

Junpei beamed. "Really? What changed your mind?"

They began walking down the hall, out of the building and across the lot. "I just figured there was no reason not to hang out with any of you, just because my role had come to an end."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Well, yeah- we're all friends now. Even Shinji still hangs out! …And he's a better cook, too. The other guy pretty much quit because we all liked Shinjiro's food, better!"

Chidori chuckled. "That's what helped me decide to hang around too. …I will still keep to my studies, but I'll still make time to come and visit everyone."

"Yeah… Maybe we could also use your artistic talent- put it to good use, somehow! You could draw some pictures we could show at the end credits, or something!" he then smirked. "Like that one you drew of me, holding my sword while running at a monster,"

Chidori blushed again; she grew a bit irritated. "Stop it. I don't want anyone to know…"

"I'm only joking… but I am serious. You have a gift," he rubbed the back of his neck. "Though… mind if I run a request by you?"

"What?"

"Well… we're kind of stuck on the whole 'mourning' scene. The writer can't come up with any idea on how my character can get over your death. So… maybe I'd open one of your sketchbooks, and see a drawing of me- just one!- and that motivates me, somehow…?"

Chidori looked at him, then at her sketchbooks. Once again, she began to relate to him…

She smiled. "I think that would be a great idea."

"Seriously?" he grinned again.

"Seriously. …But I'm not handing over my sketchbook for the scene. You'll have to use a prop."

"Aw man… why not?"

"Because you've already seen a few pictures too many… That, and it's for my eyes, only."

"Oh, really?" he then smirked, crossing his arms and giving a sly look. "How come- you draw a few dirty pictures?"

She rolled her eyes- only Junpei. But, she had to go along with the joke. "Yes- they mostly involve you in bondage."

That got him laughing, and she ended up laughing alongside him. They calmed down after a couple minutes, sitting down on a bench. It was a quiet afternoon, the sun beginning to set, and the stars were already coming out. A few cars drove by, but other than that everything was quiet.

"Man, I'm going to miss working with you," Junpei sighed, while smiling. "…Especially since it was the only time the writer let me improvise."

"I'm going to miss it, too," Chidori said, remembering the debate that had been going on in her head for a while. "Junpei… I need to ask you something,"

He looked at her; seeing the seriousness on her face, his smile faded. "What is it?"

She hugged her sketchbooks close to her; for the first time in a while, she felt nervous…

Actually, she felt more nervous than she had on the first day.

She didn't know why- it seemed ridiculous that she should bring the subject up. Every scene they had done was out of improvising, but after some time it started to feel realistic- as if they weren't acting out a scene, but actually going through a true experience.

No matter how many times she told herself it was just an act, she couldn't deny that her feelings had become sincere.

Her emotions showed during the last scene. _"I love you, Junpei,"_ she had said. It was a line she had been required to say, though she had spoken it with truth.

But how Junpei reacted… well, that's when her debate began. _"I… uh…"_ he responded quietly at first, a blush rising to his face. He took her by the hands, caressing the top of them gently with his thumbs. _"…I love you too, Chidori."_

The way he said it- so quiet, so shy… how gentle his touch was… the way he looked at her… it felt so real.

Then came the part where he held her close. She could still hear the rhythm of his heart-beat. It was the final scene where they were allowed to improvise… and damn, the guy really got into it. Tears ran down his face, as if she was really dying, holding her tight as if he would never get to hold her again.

That's when she realized, since it was their final scene, he probably wouldn't get to…

She had to do her best not to cry, and stay limp.

It was difficult, especially since Fuuka, Yukari, and Aigis were getting a little emotional. Makoto was even biting his bottom lip- as if having to remind himself that he had to remain stoic in his role.

All the emotions… they felt so real.

But, Junpei was an actor, and had been on the set longer than she had. Not to mention, with all the improvising he had been doing, he must have been a master at making his emotions seem real- probably having learned how to cry at-will, just for effect. Even off-set, it was hard to tell whether he was sincere or not.

Now… she had to know, but was afraid of how he'd react.

"I just… I was thinking of all our takes. They felt so real." She replied, keeping her sketchbooks held close to her chest. Her heart was racing. "Especially the last one… you sounded so sincere, and…"

She bit her lip. She should have thought this through better, before saying anything.

He was looking at her now. There was a mix of curiosity and concern in his eyes. "A-and what…?" he carefully pressed, his tone shaky as if he had upset her somehow.

 _And… I think I'm actually in love with you._ She thought, but it sounded ridiculous to spurt out. She had to remind herself that they were on camera. He was an actor with a lot of experience. None of it was real.

"And… y-you're just a good actor. I think you've convinced everyone of that." She responded instead, her gaze drifting to the ground. Her heart was racing, and she was trying to keep her thoughts straight.

"T-thanks… you were really good, too." Junpei replied, smiling. "Especially our last scene in the hospital. It… It actually sounded like you fell in love with me!"

Her face grew red. She winced, feeling her chest grow tight, and her heart hurt a little. _Why am I feeling this way?! It was all an act! AN. ACT._ She kept telling herself, but her emotions were starting to get the best of her.

She was quiet for five-seconds too long, giving her co-star enough time to read her expression. "Wait… you… you were just acting, weren't you?" he questioned, his eyes showing surprise.

She flinched, holding her sketchbooks tight. "O-Of course I was!" she replied, emitting a nervous chuckle, feigning a grin. "I… I wanted our last scene to r-really leave an impact…"

"Oh… okay." He seemed to sound disappointed again. "So… you think it did?"

 _Yeah- on my heart!_ Chidori thought, but nodded in response. "I wouldn't doubt it. I think even Makoto was trying not to cry,"

"Ha ha, you should've seen his face during my next part- he claimed he never seen me act so pissed! He was like, 'Jeez, dude, you act like he actually killed your girlfriend! I think Jin almost had a heart-attack!' and stuff like that."

Chidori chuckled weakly. She remembered the scene; her eyes were closed, but just hearing the raw anger and determination in Junpei's voice. Her heart still pounded every time she thought about it, while drawing a picture of Junpei summoning his new Persona, a look of ferocity on his face.

He let out a sigh, drumming his fingers on his knees as the moment grew silent. "You, uh… wanna go get a bite to eat?" he asked, sounding a bit awkward. "I'll buy,"

"Sure," Chidori replied, smiling with a bit of relief. Maybe food will help distract her from her thoughts.

They walked off the lot, heading down the street to Paulownia Mall. On the way, they made small talk- Junpei giving her details of the hot-springs scene, and how funny it got. "Me and Ryoji had to pretend to pass out- he kept at it after the take, hoping to get CPR from one of the ladies… until Kazushi stated he knew it! Ryo panicked more than when Mitsuru threatened to execute us!" he was telling her. "Kenji nearly died, recording everything on his phone…!"

She chuckled, once again wishing she could have been there, instead of in the hospital. Though, slight irritation came up, imagining him looking at other girls. True, it was just part of the plot, and in the scene before it she was required to order him to stop visiting her (though in real life, he still did, which she really appreciated) …but she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

It didn't help that Ryoji kept bringing up the geishas, and how sexy the other girls looked in their towels… Thankfully, Aigis was there to smack him upside the head and shut him up (and considering she was wearing her robot-suit at the time, the pain was enough to teach him to keep his thoughts to himself- unless he and Junpei were the only ones talking).

"Chidori? …Hey, Chi! Come back to planet Earth!"

"H-Huh?" Chidori replied, realizing that she had spaced out.

"I said, what do you feel like eating?" Junpei asked, and she noticed they were already outside the mall. He gave a chuckle.

"Oh, um, I don't care. How about the noodle shop?"

"Sounds good. …You zoned out for a minute there. Something on your mind, Chidorica?"

She gave him a look. "I told you to stop calling me that…"

"Why not? It's just a nickname. I give one to all my closest friends- Yuka-tan, Mako-Man, Ryo-Grande... It's what we all do. I have a few nicknames myself!"

"Really? The only one I've ever heard is 'Stupei'."

This time, Junpei gave her a look. "Y-Yeah, well… Yukari and Kenji both made that one up, and got everyone to call me it as a joke. It doesn't bother me though, since I have better nicknames."

"Like Junperve? I heard Jin call you by that, once."

"T-That was just one time! He caught me and Kenji trying to sneak into the girl's…" he froze, and by his expression, he was mentally kicking himself. "Uh, I-I mean, saw us accidentally walking out of the girl's restroom! Yeah! W-We ate some bad ramen, and ended up racing into the wrong bathroom- Jin caught us trying to sneak out without being seen!"

Chidori rolled her eyes. "You don't need to lie, Junpei. I know you've got a perverted reputation- the other girls told me all about it,"

His face fell, as a blush rose to his face. "T-They did…? …ah, dammit…" he put one hand in his pocket, the other hand rubbing the back of his head- a nervous response he often had. "So… I guess you think the same thing, huh?"

"Well, yes… but wouldn't you feel the same, if someone was violating your personal privacy?"

Junpei considered this, then cracked a smirk. "Yeah- actually, it happened once before. Mitsuru once brought Kurosawa to my room, because she thought it had been vandalized- when really, I just never clean my room, ha ha." He then crossed his arms, grinning. "Then there was this time during the auditions for your part- a couple girls in sexy outfits got really close to me. They were pretty hot… but, they were getting a little too fresh."

Chidori gave him a look. "Oh? Just how fresh?"

"W-well… um… I-I'd rather not talk about it. …Besides, they wouldn't have been as fun to hang out with as you!" he cleared his throat again, feeling awkward it seemed; he pointed to the door. "So, um, you said the noodle shop was okay?"

She rolled her eyes, but had to smile. "Yeah- c'mon, before they close,"

Junpei opened the door for her. He flashed a suave grin. "Ladies first,"

She pretended to swoon. "Oh, you are such a gentleman~!"

The two of them laughed, walking towards the noodle shop.

Getting a table, they made their order. Junpei tried to make more small-talk, but it seemed he was running out of conversation- or probably still felt embarrassed that Chidori heard some lecherous stories about him.

She could understand- no one liked having their bad points brought up by someone else. But it had been a while since Junpei pulled anything- at least, that's what Fuuka had said. _"Last summer, he was like some womanizer… but lately, he's been like a real gentleman!"_ the shy girl had confided once, while visiting Chidori in the hospital.

Granted, Junpei probably still saw himself as a ladies-man (with Ryoji deeming himself a worthy rival), though she never saw that part of him. He'd crack dirty jokes, sure, but he never really made any lewd comments or actions. He was actually pretty… sweet.

The question still remained, however, on whether it was sincere or not. Which part of him was his true identity- the perverted class-clown, or the compassionate gentleman?

She sighed, having been looking up at a picture of the Naganaki Shrine hanging above their table. Her ramen sat in front of her, half-eaten.

She noticed Junpei had stopped talking, and was giving her another concerned look. "…Chi? Is everything alright?" he asked.

She bit her bottom lip; why did he have to look at her with such concern? "I don't have much of an appetite." She answered, with a heavy sigh. "I… I should get going. It's getting late. Thank you for dinner…"

Before he could make a response, she stood up and quickly exited the restaurant, before leaving the mall.

Her breathing was heavy, as she tried to control herself. _It was all an act, it was all an act, it was all an act…!_ She kept telling herself over and over… yet still couldn't convince herself.

She had fallen in love for real… but was afraid to admit it.

There were so many consequences she could face; maybe he'd smirk and make wise-cracks about it ("I didn't think I was that good an actor- I actually got girls falling for me!"); or perhaps it was a game, like he and Ryoji made a bet on whether or not Junpei could win her over. Or maybe he'd make comments, doing what she was doing now- reminding that it was just an act, and she should have kept that in mind.

She went around a corner; no one was around, which worked out fine, as she couldn't hold back. Her heart was aching, her mind was at war with her emotions, and she couldn't tell truth from false when it came to her friend.

She covered her face with her hands, sobbing. _I shouldn't have let myself get so close… I should have known… now I don't know how to feel…_ she thought, as tears rolled down her face, and she sat down on the pavement.

She shouldn't have hung out with him tonight, if she had known it would lead to this…

A shadow loomed over her just then, and she gasped…

"You… forgot something,"

Chidori looked up at Junpei, who was holding up her sketchbooks- she must have left them at their booth, during her rush to get out.

He sat down next to her, handing them over. He noticed her tears. "What's the matter?"

"I… I just need to go," Chidori replied, standing up quick.

He stood up at the same time she did, grabbing her hand before she could run off again. She tensed, looking up at him- being taller than her, he practically loomed over her; she could see her reflection in his deep-blue eyes, her expression a mix between fear and sorrow. His own expression was a mix between overwhelming concern… and determination.

They stood in silence; her breathing was heavy, as she was trying to keep from sobbing in front of him; she was shaking, wanting to pull away- but his gentle touch felt as strong as his tightest grip, keeping her from going anywhere.

"Chidori… it's okay," He spoke to her in a gentle tone. It made her heart ache even more. "We're not on-camera anymore. You can talk to me. …Please, if something's wrong- if… if I did anything wrong… just tell me, and I'll do whatever I can to fix it."

Tears welled up. She started to tremble. Her emotions were in a spiral…

"Was… was it all an act…?" she finally questioned, shutting her eyes. "T-the sketchbook… the visits… the way…the way you cried… was it just improvising?"

She couldn't look at him. One glance into his eyes, and she'd have a breakdown.

"Yeah… some of it," he answered. His other hand cupped her cheek. "But… it felt so real. I visited you a lot because… well, I was really scared- like I upset something when I tackled you, so I wanted to check on you to make sure you were getting better. I brought you the sketchbook because I knew you liked to draw- that, and Takaya was already bringing you flowers…

"But… when we were reaching our final scene… I-I started to feel something. Even while we were at the hot-springs, I kept wondering what was going to happen after it was over. So… when it arrived… I had to cry, because I knew you'd be leaving the set afterwards and… and I was really going to miss you.

"That's… that's why I asked if you wanted to hang out tonight," His thumb brushed away the tear-streak that remained beneath her eye. "I… I was hoping that… maybe you'd want to keep hanging out. I mean, just because the scene ended, doesn't mean we can't stop seeing each other. Truth is... I… I think- no, I know… I fell in love with you. For real."

Her eyes shot open in surprise. She looked into his eyes- they were full of sincerity… passion… and the remaining concern he had been feeling since they had sat down on the bench.

Tears flooded out, and with a sob, she leaned against him, clutching his shirt as she buried her face into his chest. She dropped her sketchbooks, one of them falling open once more; a gust of wind blew a couple pages over.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly, but gently. She felt so small in his embrace, listening to his heartbeat once more. One hand shifted through her long, red hair while the other rubbed her back, keeping her in a hug until her trembling slowed down.

"I… I was afraid…" Chidori finally admitted- feeling as if she were reciting her lines from the final scene all over again. "I… I knew you were an actor so you would know how to be convincing, but I still felt myself get wrapped up in my feelings, believing it was real… B-But I didn't know whether you were sincere. …I was scared you felt nothing, because…"

She looked up at him. His eyes were misty, the concern gone, though the passion remained.

"Because… I fell in love with you,"

He looked at her, his gaze soft. "Chidori…" He moved downward, while she stretched upward a bit, until their lips met.

Blood raced to her cheeks, her heart was pounding so fast she was afraid it would stop; he pulled her closer, holding her tight as if afraid she would vanish if he let go.

After a moment, they pulled out of their kiss, and she lied her head on his shoulder. He had yet to release her from his hug… though, in truth, she didn't want him to let go. "I really like being close to you, Junpei." She whispered.

"Wow, déjà vu…" he chuckled in response, though rested his head against hers. "Joking aside… I like it, too. …Why don't we go out Saturday? You know, make an official relationship- off-camera."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, hugging him back. "I'd like that,"

Junpei kept her close. He'd hold her for maybe another five minutes or so, before walking her home. As he did, he looked down at the sketchbooks… and had to smile.

On an open page was a picture of the two of them in the hospital, sitting across from each other and holding hands.

The first time his improvising was actually based on truth.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: …I'd say something witty here, but I have to go see the doctor- I need new heart-strings.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and apologies if the romance wasn't top-notch… but in all honesty, ever since I got deep in to Chidori's story, I wanted to throw in some fluff between her and Junpei.

And this probably won't be the only time we see it.

Please review, make a request if you want, don't flame, and have a nice day. :D


	5. Hide and Seek in Tartarus

*sniffles* Well, guys, I've finally beat the game. Just have "The Answer" to do, but dang my heart hurts from the overwhelming emotions so much it'll be a while before I'm ready for it!

…On the plus side, I unlocked the scene where Chidori is revived! :D (For those of you who want to know how- you just talk to Junpei on the days after she tells him to stop visiting, and keep telling him not to give up).

I was so happy I ran outside and danced on the front lawn- until I noticed my neighbors staring at me like "WTF?" and went inside xD ….Okay, that didn't really happen, but I was REALLY happy! ^-^

Though after that mini-victory, I finally beat Nyx, went through one of the most emotional scenes ever put into a JRPG, and decided- in order to cope *AGAIN*- to update this story.

This time, however, it's going to be something random and silly, perhaps a bit fluffy, but mostly just random silliness.

*Note*: I realized I got the school's name wrong- it's actually Gekkoukan High, not Ikkouten (how I got them mixed up, I don't know). If anyone spots mistakes like this, feel free to point them out.

Enjoy!

 **Reviewer Thanks**

 **Phoenix Blaire4869:** Aw, thank you, I love sharing fluff like that ^-^; Glad you loved the humor in it too, and I hope the pace stays good!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Setting:_ Post-Nyx Battle

 _Genre:_ Random/Friendship

 _Plot:_ The group decides to play hide-and-seek in Tartarus… though end up doing more than just playing a game.

 _Disclaimer:_ …if I owned anything, I'd make it to where Makoto could be revived like Chidori- but I guess that would kill the noble-sacrifice scene.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

February.

One of the coldest months of the year, and the only month the entire cast ever had fully-off since they started working on _Persona 3;_ Akitaya, the director, claimed that since the final scene would be shot during the start of Spring in March, all the teenagers could take a little vacation- as well as catch up on their studies, especially with Graduation Day approaching.

During this time, the Tartarus set was to be shut down- though not completely scrapped, as the producers claimed it may be used for future-games, or make a great tourist-attraction for the studio. Since then, the building had been closed off and locked up.

It had been a week since then; the group continued to walk to the studio, passing by the Tartarus set once in a while. They mainly returned to the lot either to visit with the staff (whom they had come to love working with), or just look around the set one more time.

Sometimes, a couple of the cast-members tried to take home props for keepsakes. Some were okay, like little mugs, Jack Frost dolls, or items used in battles (potions, gems, etc). …The only thing they couldn't take home were their weapons- as the producers didn't want to take any responsibility if one of the students accidentally stabbed each other.

"Put it back, Junpei," Mitsuru stated as she and the rest of her friends were walking out of the prop-room. She didn't even have to turn her head to know that the class-clown was trying to sneak Galahad's Sword out of its display-case.

"I was just looking at it!" Junpei said in defense, stammering a bit; he quickly put the blade back in its place.

"You look with your eyes- _not_ your hands."

"Gimme a break. I miss carrying a sword around; plus, it ain't fair that you, Akihiko-senpai, and Yuka-tan get to take something home…"

Yukari rolled her eyes. "I can only take my bow home because I'm in the archery-club, and our senpais use minor equipment for their teams, too."

"That's right. As long as they're safe enough to be used at school, they're allowed to take them home," Aigis added. She gave a shrug. "Plus, you're not the only one- Ken-kun can't take his home either, until he's old enough, Koro-chan has to leave his knives here, and I can't wear my robotic hand-cannons."

"You can always take home your imitation katana, too." Makoto brought up.

"I guess… still not as cool as owning a real sword, though." Junpei muttered.

"Heh, be glad you actually got weapons," Ryoji scoffed. "The closest I ever came was when they CG'd me into Nyx… and that sword wasn't even real!"

"…That's because everyone was wise not to let you have one," Pharos, his little brother, chuckled.

Ryoji rolled his eyes. "I don't see why you stuck around- didn't Mom and Dad want you to go back to school right after your take?"

"I did- but they also said I could come and hang out, too… as long as you were here."

"Lucky me…"

"I just can't believe it's almost over," Akihiko sighed, looking around. "Just think… after the final scene, we'll all be going about our usual lives. No more cameras, rehearsals, or props- all we have to look forward to is Graduation, our future…"

"…and the horde of fans that'll be swarming us after the game is released," Junpei added with a smirk.

"Especially the fan-girls…" Ryoji added, bouncing his eyebrows while nudging Junpei. "Now THAT'S what I'm looking forward to!"

"…unless they're the psychotic, rabid kind." Shinjiro sneered. "THAT would be a good reason to take a weapon home,"

Akihiko shuddered. "We had to deal with enough of those DURING the production…"

"How is it that we get attacked by fan-girls before the game is even released?" Makoto questioned (while subtly breaking the fourth-wall).

"We're anime-guys, bro- and everyone knows that by the time an anime-guy reaches his teens, he is forever labeled a chick-magnet." Junpei told him.

"…that, or it's because SOMEONE keeps leaking information through his Myspace page!" Yukari scoffed.

(Note: Myspace was a social-website that existed before Facebook was created. …Just in case none of you knew that.)

Junpei cringed. "…I only posted a couple pics, that's all…"

"A single picture is all it takes, buddy." Makoto replied.

"So are we going to do something, or keep shooting the breeze?" Shinjiro asked; from his expression it was simple to deduce he wasn't the talkative-type.

"Arf!" Koromaru exclaimed while running in circles around the group; apparently, he wanted to do more than strike up conversation, too.

"Let's head to the mall, I could go for something to eat." Ken suggested.

"Sounds good… as long as Akihiko is buying again," Junpei joked.

Akihiko rolled his eyes. "Fat chance,"

The group walked towards the studio-lot's entrance. Along the way, they once again passed the Tartarus set; this time, Makoto stopped to look at it for a minute.

"Hm?" Fuuka paused, noticing her friend was falling behind. "Mako-kun? Are you coming?"

"Yeah… I was just thinking," Makoto replied.

"About what?" Mitsuru asked, as the group paused and walked back over to him. Whenever Makoto had something on his mind it usually led to something interesting.

"Well… we always spent a lot of time in Tartarus- running around each floor, testing out each formation, and working on fight-sequences against different Shadow models. Now that it's shut down, I realized… we never got to do anything fun,"

"What do you mean? We managed to have some fun during takes on the set," Yukari replied.

"Yeah- like our last take with the Nyx boss," Junpei said with a snicker.

Ryoji gave him a look. "It wasn't that funny, Junpei…" he muttered.

"Oh c'mon! Even the camera-guy laughed!"

"What happened?" Pharos asked.

"Junpei made a crack that Ryoji-san looked horrible without his make-up," Ken replied with a snicker.

"No- that was Yukari. Junpei joked about him looking like he abused drugs for 5 years," Fuuka corrected.

"Who was it that said he looked like something out of _The Evil Dead_ , then added he looked better as Nyx?" Akihiko asked. "Was it you, Aigis?"

"Am I the only one you guys pick on?" Ryoji sneered, crossing his arms.

"No- we got Jin and Takaya too." Makoto replied. "Jin was about to do his take seriously…"

"Then I screamed, 'No, Jin! Don't be a hero!'!" Junpei laughed.

"…He also shouted, 'This is for my girlfriend, bitch!' during the fight-take with Takaya." Yukari said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, c'mon, Yuka-tan… you act like I'm the only one who cracks jokes!"

"…Well, you hold the record," Mitsuru replied.

"As well as the record for botched lines." Shinjiro added.

"Oh, c'mon! I had a lot to rehearse… and it was only during exams!" Junpei argued.

"…during _summer break_?"

A sweat-drop appeared over Junpei's head, before he turned to Makoto in order to change the subject. "…W-Why do you bring up doing stuff in Tartarus, Mako-man?"

"I was just wondering what it would be like if we were allowed to do more than just run around." Makoto replied with a shrug. "I kept having an idea where- maybe part of a training experience in order to level-up quicker- we got to do some sort of challenges, like having to find specific items, or split up to see who fought the most Shadows… maybe even play some sort of games."

"That does sound interesting," Ken agreed. "What kind of games would we play in Tartarus, though?"

"Maybe racing to see who could find the stairs first?" Aigis guessed.

"Nah, something more challenging- like having to 'race' through the floor to a finish line, defeating as many Shadows and collecting as many items as you could… and the ground would cave in underneath you, so you'd have to hurry!" Akihiko said.

"Sounds more like a work-out than a game," Ryoji commented.

Pharos looked up at the set of Tartarus, having a small grin. "I know what kind of game would be perfect to play in Tartarus," he stated. "Hide and Seek."

"How would that help us gain experience?" Akihiko asked.

"It wouldn't- I just think it would be fun. With so many different floors, and the different rooms you all have to go in, it would be quite a challenge."

Makoto nodded. "That does sound fun… A game of hide-and-seek in Tartarus…" he stated, having a look of consideration on his face.

Yukari looked at him- she could practically see the wheels turning in his head. "Mako-san, you're not really considering going in the building just to play a game, are you?" she asked.

Junpei smirked. "Well, why not? The set isn't going to be used again until God-knows-when, we have access to it… I say let's do it!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah! I wanna try it, too!" Ken added.

"Bark!" Koromaru seemed to agree, his tail wagging in excitement.

"But, you could get into serious trouble! The set is closed…" Fuuka pointed out.

"Not getting caught is part of the fun- almost like the Hot-Springs take… only you girls don't beat the crud out of us if we fuck up," Ryoji joked.

"We can do it tonight, after everyone goes home!" Junpei added.

"What about the security guards?" Aigis asked. "They may catch us…"

"We can just say one of us lost something on the set last week, and we came back to look for it." Ryoji replied.

"You really think they'd believe THAT?" Yukari criticized.

"The guards won't be too much trouble. They just hang around the entrances, and don't come this far into the lot unless an alarm is set off," Pharos spoke up.

"How do YOU know that?" Ryoji asked.

Pharos grinned. "I've hung around the lot during the weekends, and fell asleep one time in the Velvet Room. I managed to sneak out while one guard was ordering pizza."

"…I think I should speak to the management about our security measures," Mitsuru said, a bit unnerved.

"Perhaps THAT could be our alibi," Ryoji stated with a smirk. "We can say we were just making sure the security guards were keeping on their toes,"

Shinjiro scoffed. "You can break as many rules as you want, but we're still talking about playing a dumb hide-and-seek game." He commented.

"Yeah- but on a studio-set for a videogame!" Junpei pointed out. "C'mon… It may be our only chance to really do something fun in Tartarus. We're talking about making memories here! Do you really want to look back on this, and regret doing nothing but cracking lines and running around?"

"That actually sounds like a good point…" Aigis stated, thinking about it. "We won't get to go into the Tartarus set ever again… Why not have fun inside while we still can?"

"It IS just a game of hide-and-seek, I guess…" Fuuka added, in consideration. "We're not really causing trouble,"

"Yeah- it's not like we're going smuggle in booze or anything." Makoto threw in.

"…Maybe we should ask permission first." Akihiko stated. "We don't want to jeopardize anything and get bad publicity, if we got caught."

"C'mon, Senpai… isn't that part of the fun?" Ryoji questioned. "They'll probably say 'No' anyway!"

"Let's at least talk to Kurosawa about it, first. I'm sure he can get us a leeway."

"W-Wait, you mean you actually want to participate, Senpai?" Yukari questioned in surprise.

"Sure- I'll be graduating in a month anyway… why not have a little extra fun?"

"EXACTLY!" Junpei exclaimed, putting his arm around Akihiko and Shinjiro. "This is the time when you gotta make the most out of life!"

"…by playing hide-and-seek." Shinjiro deadpanned. He pushed Junpei away.

"I will admit, it does sound interesting." Mitsuru said, pondering in consideration. "I suppose as long as we assure security we won't cause any trouble, it will be alright to hang out in Tartarus for one night."

Shinjiro continued to give a questionable glare. "…playing hide-and-seek?"

"I'm definitely in!" Ken exclaimed.

"Bark!" Koromaru added.

"Well… if it's alright with everyone…" Yukari sighed, but grinned. "Alright, lets do it!"

Everyone turned and looked at Shinjiro. The senior punk continued to give a glare, before sighing and rubbing his face. "Fine… but I'm not being 'it'." he muttered.

"Awesome! C'mon, guys- tonight, we have the ultimate game of Hide-and-Seek … in Tartarus!" Junpei announced.

"…it's still a frickin' kiddy game, dumbass…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was 7 PM when the group met in front of Tartarus. The management claimed they could only hang out in Tartarus, just so long as Kurosawa was nearby in case anything happened. "Don't cause too much trouble- just because you're the stars of the game, doesn't mean you'll face lawsuits for any damages," the police officer warned.

"Thank you, Officer Kurosawa." Mitsuru replied, as everyone entered the set of Tartarus.

Makoto looked around. Without the camera-crew or special-effects team on-board, the Tartarus set was basically a six-story building with different rooms on each floor; each room was built to look like a different 'maze'-like floor; and each floor was painted to have its own style.

There were a number of rooms everyone could hide in, each one having a total of at least 3 different sets. With so many options, it was no wonder Pharos would suggest playing hide-and-seek; the game would be an impossible challenge in such a place.

Which was why Makoto believed it was going to be a lot of fun- so long as he wasn't 'it'.

"Alright… how should we do this?" Akihiko asked. "We need to have a set of rules,"

"Barely started and you already ruined it," Ryoji commented. "We just pick a random person to be it, and hurry up and hide! Last one to be found has to be it. Simple!"

"I think it should be more than that," Pharos stated. "For instance, how high should the person who's 'it' count? Where should they count at? And are we allowed to use the elevators?"

"No using the elevators- that would be an easy way to get caught, if someone is inside it when the seeker uses it," Yukari said.

"And the seeker should count to 100, just so that gives everyone enough time to find a floor and room to hide in," Ken added.

"And they can count in the Velvet Room." Makoto added, pointing over at the door. "And no one can hide on the ground-floor, just so the seeker doesn't end up peeking and finding someone easily."

"And you can't leave Tartarus until the game is over," Fuuka finished.

"Alright, alright, we've got our rules down… now who's going to be it?" Ryoji asked, then quickly added, "Not it!"

"How about drawing straws?" Aigis asked.

"We don't have any," Shinjiro sneered.

"We could put it to a vote," Yukari suggested.

"Nahh- that wouldn't be fair for the seeker; plus, we'd be voting against each other, so it would take forever to pick," Junpei replied.

"Geez, guys, did you have to make it complicated?" came a voice, and everyone turned, seeing Kenji walking in. With him were Natsuki, Kazushi, Akinari, Takaya, Jin, and Chidori.

"Whoa! Where'd you all come from?" Yukari gasped.

"Junpei texted me an invite," Kenji grinned. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to invite a few more people for a little fun in Tartarus,"

"It's just hide-and-seek, not a frickin' house-party." Shinjiro muttered, growing tired of having to point this out.

"Even a childish game can become fun on a set like this," Takaya said, smirking.

"Yeah, if you like pretending you're in kindergarten again…" Jin scoffed.

"I vote we play it in the dark- hide-and-seek is a lot more fun that way," Natsuki added.

"It'll be more fun if we can decide who'll be 'it'!" Ryoji commented.

"Why don't we all just shout 'Not It' like you did? Last person to say it has to be the seeker," Pharos suggested.

"No, because what two or more people are the last to say it?" Kazushi said.

"I'll be 'it'," came a new voice.

Everyone paused, turning around and seeing Elizabeth entering the building. "Elizabeth? What are you doing here?" Makoto gasped.

"Kenji sent me a text message, asking if I wanted to participate. I decided to take him up on the offer, since I'll be leaving the set in a week for my vacation," Elizabeth turned and smiled at Kenji. "It's also been a while since I've been invited to anything, so thank you for including me,"

"Nooooo problem, Lizzy-senpai," Kenji replied with a suave smile.

Everyone else had to roll their eyes- sometimes they believed Kenji went overboard with his infatuation for older women.

"Okay, Elizabeth-san, just go into the Velvet room and count to 100, and we'll all go upstairs to hide. Whoever you find has to help you look for the others, and the last person you find has to be 'it'." Ken explained.

"Sounds simple. Might we go with Natsuki's suggestion of turning off the lights, as well?"

"Maybe just dim them, just so no one ends up tripping or bumping into something and getting hurt." Fuuka suggested.

"Don't worry about it, Fuuka! They cleaned out the building, so we'll be alright," Natsuki stated. "I'll even hide with you- we can be partners!"

"We can do that?" Ken asked.

"Sure- but that would mean both partners would have to be seekers if they're caught last," Makoto replied.

"In that case, wanna be partners, Chi?" Junpei asked Chidori, smirking.

Chidori smiled sweetly. "…Not a chance," she replied firmly. "I'd do better hiding on my own,"

"Nice try, 'stud'," Takaya whispered, earning a look from Junpei.

"I will go count now," Elizabeth stated, entering the Velvet room, then began to count loud enough for everyone to hear. "ONE… TWO… THREE…"

"Lets go!" Akihiko exclaimed, and everyone began running up the stairs.

Kenji stood behind, only ducking beside the stairs. Apparently, he was hoping to be the first Elizabeth found. "…You have to hide UPSTAIRS, Kenji." Makoto told him, noticing him.

"Aw, man…" Kenji sighed, walking up the stairs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Everyone scattered once up the stairs, separating to go up to different floors.

Ken, Pharos, and Koromaru went clear up to the fifth floor, ending up hiding in the same room. "Hey, I was here first, Pharos!" Ken hissed, as he ducked behind a set of small steps.

Pharos peeked out from behind a lone wall. "I came in here the same time as you," he answered.

"Grrr…" Koromaru growled softly, as if to tell the boys to be quiet.

"Why don't you go hide with your brother?" Ken replied to Pharos, keeping his voice low. "You follow him almost everywhere, anyways!"

"He ditched me on the second floor," Pharos replied, his shoulders slumping. "He… said I was a hassle to keep around, and told me to start doing things on my own."

"Well… don't let it bother you. Older brothers say things like that all the-" Ken began to whisper.

* _clack clack clack*_ The sound of heels coming down the hallway alerted them.

"Yipes- she counts fast!" Ken ran over to the wall as the footsteps came towards the door. "Okay, we'll go around the wall when she comes in, then run out the door into another room."

"Is that allowed?" Pharos asked.

"All's fair in hide-and-seek,"

"Woof," Koromaru seemed to agree, ducking behind them.

The door opened, and the footsteps walked in.

The two boys then snuck over to the other side of the wall, heading for the door-

Only to bump into Fuuka!

"Eep!" Fuuka yelped.

"Gah!/Yikes!" Pharos and Ken both cried.

"Oh… it's just you, Fuuka-san." Ken sighed in relief. "We thought you were Elizabeth!"

"Don't worry- I saw her walking around the third-floor… that's when Natsuki-chan and I split up, and I snuck up here," Fuuka whispered, rubbing her arm. "I hope that doesn't count as cheating…"

"I'm sure it doesn't. There's no rule stating you had to stay in one spot-"

" _Ah, man…! Dammit, Kenji, you gave me away!"_ Came Junpei's voice on the fourth floor.

" _No I didn't- Augh! Um, I'm not under the stairs- go the other way… crud!"_ Replied Kenji's frantic voice.

"Uh oh- Elizabeth must be on her way up! Hide!" Fuuka gasped.

The three of them scattered; Koromaru ran left and right, trying to find a good hiding spot. He was about to duck into another room, but Elizabeth already came up the stairs, accompanied by Junpei and Kenji. "Ah, there you are, Koro-chan." She stated, walking over and patting the dog on the head. "Now you must assist me in finding the others. Your canine-senses will be most helpful in that, I bet."

"Arf," Koromaru replied, his tail wagging. He sniffed the air, then pointed at a door.

Elizabeth opened it, finding Fuuka, Pharos, and Ken. "…Snitch." Ken muttered, looking at Koromaru.

 _*klunk, thud, crash!*_

Kenji opened another door, finding Makoto and Ryoji- both in the process of shoving each other out from behind a stack of suitcases, having knocked them over. "Hey, Liz, I found two more for ya!" he exclaimed.

"Wait- no fair! Makoto gave me away!" Ryoji exclaimed.

"I did not!" Makoto snapped. "You pushed me!"

"Wow, déjà vu," Junpei whispered.

"Who else is left?" Ken asked.

"The girls, Akihiko, Jin, Takaya, Kazushi, and I think I saw Shinjiro heading up the stairs," Makoto replied.

"Let's split up and search, then." Elizabeth suggested, then turned to Pharos and Ken. "Why don't you two boys go upstairs and look? We'll check the other floors,"

"Upstairs… after Shinji?!" Ken repeated, a bit timid. Sure, he seemed brave when working with Shinjiro on-set, and off-camera the teen wasn't so bad… but ratting him out in a game of hide-and-seek would pretty much be suicide.

"Let's go. I bet he's hiding on the roof," Pharos said, apparently not so afraid.

"Arf!" Koromaru added, volunteering to go with the boys. This relaxed Ken a little.

Elizabeth then turned towards the stairs leading to the bottom floor. "Now then… who would like to help me search on the second floor?" she asked.

"I WILL!" Kenji and Ryoji both exclaimed, their hands shooting up like rockets.

"…I raised my hand first!" Kenji told Ryoji.

"I said it first!" Ryoji argued. He turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth-san, who would you like to accompany you?"

Elizabeth smiled… then pointed to Makoto. "I think Makoto-san will be the best option," she said.

"I accept," Makoto replied, his expression stoic.

"Go figure," Junpei commented, rolling his eyes.

Everyone split up, and the two youngest boys walked up the stairs to the next level. "So has Ryoji always been a womanizer?" Ken asked Pharos.

"Yes, but it's a family-trait he inherited from our father; he's Italian, and was always charming women… up until he met our mother, then he had to stop- otherwise risk a slap to the face," Pharos chuckled a little as he replied, though his smile eventually faded. "…But I hope Ryoji doesn't turn out like him. I don't think he could handle losing a lover…"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Pharos sighed. "Our parents are talking about getting a divorce; my mom says she's sick of my dad fawning over other women, adding he's a bad influence for my brother and I. …I think Dad is trying hard not to be unfaithful, but… Ryoji saw him having dinner with another woman; Dad told him it was just part of a business-meeting and the woman was just a client… I don't think he believed him, and I'm not sure whether I can trust his word, or not."

"That's terrible…"

Pharos put his arms behind his back, looking at the ground as they walked around the next floor. "That's why I stick so close to my brother. With Dad being such a lady-killer and Mom busy with work- she's a fashion-designer- that leaves Ryoji being the only stable role-model I have. I know he tends to be a pervert, but beyond that he's a really good person. …I just wish he didn't keep pushing me away when I want to hang out with him,"

Ken was quiet for a moment, thinking. Koromaru sniffed around ahead of them, pausing to look back at them when he noticed they were quiet.

After a moment, Ken spoke. "He probably just wants you to stay strong," he told Pharos. "He's probably scared that, if your parents get a divorce, you guys will be separated. He probably wants to make sure you can handle things on your own, so he doesn't have to be afraid for you."

"That makes sense… Ryoji is always taking care of me when our parents aren't around. I guess he just doesn't want me to depend on him too much," Pharos winced. "…But I hope we don't end up separated…"

"I-It'll be okay, Pharos." Ken rested a hand on his shoulder. "Even if you guys are separated, Ryoji-san will still come around when you need him. That's what family is for."

Pharos looked at him. "Do you have any siblings, Ken?"

"No… It's just my guardian and I. My mom died two years ago, and my dad walked out on us when I was five. Rukia- my guardian- was my mom's best friend and always helped take care of us. When Mom passed away, Rukia got custody of me." He looked down at the ground next. "But she was always working hard, so we don't spend too much time together. …That's why I decided to sign up for a part in _Persona 3_ \- so that I could earn enough money to cover all our finances, and she wouldn't have to go through so much trouble, and have a break more often."

"I was asked to join- the writer said I pretty much matched the 'Mysterious Boy' description… but I told them I would only join if they gave my brother a role. I guess it worked out, because they needed someone who looked like an 'older' version of me."

"You're lucky to have a big-brother… I always wanted one," Ken grinned. "…I didn't think I'd find one here, though."

Pharos looked at him, curiously. "You did?"

Ken nodded. "Yeah, several actually. The rest of the guys are kind of like older-brothers to me- and the girls are like big-sisters. Helping me lines, giving me tips for combat-scenes, and methods to try out when I felt nervous around the camera. They helped me off-set too. I could always come to them if I had trouble with homework, or needed advice on something, and I know they'll always have my back if something happens."

"Really?" Pharos rubbed his arm. "…I think they see me as a pest."

Ken chuckled. "That's only because you pulled a couple pranks on them at the start. …Remember that time you replaced Makoto's sword with a rubber one, and when he hit a Shadow-prop with it, it squeaked and Koro-chan tackled him?"

Pharos smirked. "I remember… He kept glaring at me during our next scene, right after that."

"Why do you pull pranks on everyone, though?"

Pharos shrugged. "Just for fun. I don't do it to be mean… but everyone kept looking at me like I really was some 'mysterious ghost boy', that I wanted to show I had a sense of humor, too. I managed to lighten up, though!"

"Yeah, so did everyone else. I don't think they see you as a pest- well, except during your pranks. They think you're pretty cool- always keeping calm during your takes, never botching up a line, and always being in a good mood, even on the worst days. You have a lot of enthusiasm!"

"Thank you… I just try to keep optimistic. I heard that studios have a stressful atmosphere- so I figured, if I kept a positive attitude, it would help cancel out the negativity,"

Ken smiled. "Junpei-san does the same thing, sometimes. He likes to improvise and crack jokes on-set just to make everyone laugh. Sometimes it helps… and sometimes he ends up running for his life."

"You mean like the time he got on Yukari's nerves and she tried to shoot him with an arrow?"

Ken chuckled. "Yeah…" They walked up another flight of stairs, these ones leading to the roof. He paused and looked around. "It makes me wish we didn't finish so soon. I'm going to miss working with everyone,"

"I know. When I had to finish my final scene, I tried hard not to cry… But, all good things must come to an end- but that doesn't mean we can't keep hanging out." The mysterious-boy smiled. "Maybe you and I can hang out after school more often. …You could help me set up my next prank!"

"Sounds good!"

"…just so long as I'm not the victim," came a muttered voice. The two boys gasped, turning around and seeing Shinjiro sitting in the corner. He scoffed. "I wondered when you two would turn around."

"Arf!" Koromaru barked, running up the stairs and passing the boys, wagging his tail as he approached the punk. Following him was Elizabeth, and the rest of the cast.

"Ha! Shinji was the last one we found! He's it!" Kenji laughed- earning a dark look from Shinji and he immediately shut-up.

"I believe it is your turn to be the seeker now, Shinjiro-chan." Elizabeth said with a smile; she then beamed. "…And I cannot wait to take part in hiding!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever… (stupid game)…" Shinjiro muttered, walking over to the elevator and going back to the ground-floor to count.

Pharos and Ken followed everyone down. "Hey, I just got an idea for a prank…" Ken whispered an idea to Pharos.

The mysterious-boy smirked. "I like it… C'mon, it'll work best on the third-floor,"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

By the time Shinjiro was reaching '60', everyone had managed to find some good hiding spots.

Akihiko ended up hiding in the same room as Mitsuru on the third-floor, both of them hiding on one side of a hill-like structure in the middle of the room… though they didn't realize they were sharing a hiding spot until they backed into each other. "Gah! Oh, Mitsuru- s-sorry, I didn't know you were hiding here…" Akihiko stammered.

"It's alright. I'll just go hide somewhere else," Mitsuru replied, turning to leave.

"No! I mean, um… we can share the spot, it's no problem."

Mitsuru arched an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be easier for Shinjiro to find us?"

"Well, maybe… though if you left now to find another spot, there's a chance you'd run into him while you were looking."

"I suppose." Mitsuru sat down; Akihiko sat beside her. The valedictorian looked around the room, letting out a short sigh. "It's funny… We ran around this place so many times, but never got a chance to admire the detail of each floor. I really have to give credit to the staff for giving each room its own kind of personality,"

"Yeah, I know. This one makes me think I'm in some sort of treasure-room… I kept wandering around, expecting us to find a pile of jewels or something, ha ha."

"Yes, I see." Mitsuru seemed uninterested.

Akihiko rubbed the back of his neck, blushing. _Idiot! 'Finding jewels', really?!_ He scolded himself, wishing he could say something a little more interesting. "So, um… why do you bring it up?"

"No reason… I just realized that, after we graduate, we won't be spending time in front of cameras or coming to the studio set, but instead finally having ordinary lives."

Akihiko chuckled. "Just like in the game- finishing our mission and returning to a normal lifestyle,"

Mitsuru smiled. "Exactly. …I guess I just never took time to appreciate it all- but this year went by quicker than I believed. I was always so focused on keeping up with my schoolwork while rehearsing my lines to perfection, that I didn't realize how much I was missing out on."

Akihiko shifted closer to her. "Well… just because we're graduating doesn't mean we're calling it quits- I'm still going to keep in-touch with everyone, and will come visit town during my break from college. Plus… I doubt I could just leave all this behind so easily. Joining the production really left a big impact on my life."

"I understand that. I'm just amazed I got so attached to everyone- I didn't think we'd all become so close," She shifted closer as she said this.

"Heh, it wasn't like we could resist. It's like we all just clicked- like the producers were looking for the right people who would bond in-and-outside the game."

"I wonder if we still would, if we never joined. You and I went to the same school for years, but never really acknowledged each other's existence until now,"

Akihiko blushed. "I wouldn't say that… I always noticed you."

Mitsuru looked at him. "Oh? …Well, I suppose that makes sense. As student-council president, I suppose everyone knew about me-"

"No, I mean… before all that. Ever since we were freshman and entered Gekkoukan High. I always tried to talk to you, but didn't know what to say- you were the most intelligent girl in class and had a strong, confident attitude that… I was afraid I'd embarrass myself. So, instead I focused on my training, thinking if I built up my own confidence, I would be able to finally say something…"

"Really? …I recall you speaking to me without any lack of confidence."

"Yeah, but… that was after we both signed up for _Persona 3_ , when we had lines written for us. I worked hard memorizing my lines so I would always know what to say to you… and eventually, I managed to speak to you without feeling any nerves."

"Why would you feel nervous? …Am I too intimidating?"

"No! I mean, you're quite fierce when you want to be… but… *sigh*" Akihiko rubbed his face. Why was it so hard to confess this? "The truth is… ever since the day we met… I sort of… well, not 'sort of', I really…"

"Just say you love her, dumbass." came a voice. The two gave a jolt, looking up and seeing Shinjiro standing on top of the structure, looking down at them.

"Gah! Shinji- h-how long have you've been up there?!"

"Long enough to watch you get tongue-tied, Romeo." Shinjiro stepped off and walked towards the door. "C'mon, I already found the others- we just have to find Takaya."

They walked out; Akihiko felt his face grow as red as a tomato. "Um… s-sorry about Shinji's comments…" he said to Mitsuru as they searched.

"It's alright. I already knew what you were trying to say," Mitsuru replied with a grin.

"Really? …Wait, we're thinking of the same thing, right?"

"That you have a crush on me?"

An exclamation-mark appeared over Akihiko's head. "S-So you knew all along?! …How?"

"It became clear after we started rehearsing. You seemed to develop some sort of attachment to me- the proof came forth when you developed a stunned expression, during the scene where Yukari revealed Ryoji asked me out." Mitsuru smiled. "I'm just happy you got to know me as a friend first,"

The boxing-captain smiled back. "Yeah… I guess that's what helped me overcome my nerves." He shifted. "So… h-how exactly do you feel about me?"

The valedictorian shrugged. "I see you as a good friend."

"Oh. …So, you just want to stay friends, or…?"

"Just ask her out, you twit." Takaya sighed, having been leaning against the other side of a corner the whole time. "Honestly… am I the only anime-boy who doesn't get flustered about the thought of romance? It's a tired cliché…"

"You do realize you're 'it' now, right?" Mitsuru replied back to him. "You're the last one found,"

"Very well… I was hoping to become the seeker- it's so fun sneaking up on people when they least expect it," Takaya replied, walking downstairs.

Akihiko rubbed the back of his neck. "So… do you want to go out, sometime?" he asked Mitsuru.

Mitsuru smiled. "I'll give it some consideration," she replied.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With Takaya being 'it', everyone had to make sure they chose some good hiding-places.

Natsuki was hiding with Fuuka on the fourth-floor, when they entered a room with Chidori."Oh, sorry Chidori!" Fuuka gasped, seeing the Gothic-Lolita sitting on top of the stairs… drawing in a sketchbook. "We'll hide somewhere else…"

"You can hide in here, I don't mind." Chidori replied, eyes on her paper. "There's some space behind those Shadow-props,"

"Why aren't you hiding?" Natsuki asked as she and Fuuka ducked down behind a couple props. "You'll get caught!"

"I don't mind- it's just a game, after all."

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "You're so weird…"

"(Maya-san, be nice)" Fuuka scolded in a whisper; she looked at Chidori. "…How can you see what you're drawing in the dark?"

"The retinas can adjust to the lack of light after a certain amount of time; also, I can draw from memory well enough that I don't need light," Chidori answered.

"I bet she's drawing Junpei again," Natsuki whispered in a giggle.

Chidori shot her a glare. "…I CAN expose you if someone comes in here, you know."

"I'm just joking! …Sheesh, what's your damage? You guys are pretty much the token-couple of the game, I don't see why you should get embarrassed…"

"Well… wouldn't you get unnerved if someone was commenting on your relationship, Maya-san?" Fuuka asked her.

"Sure… but she doesn't have to be that uptight over one little crack." Natsuki looked at Chidori. "So, why didn't you pair up with him? Scared about having a make-out session in the dark? (not that I don't blame you)…"

"N-Natsuki!"

Chidori only kept her eyes on the paper. "If you think people who pair up in a game like this end up making out… what does that say about you and Fuuka?"

Natsuki gawked. "T-That's different! Fuuka-chan and I are just friends! Just because we're hiding together doesn't make us a couple! …Geez, I can see the yuri-shipping forums already, ugh…"

"And just because Junpei and I are a couple, doesn't mean we have to hide together- let alone 'make out'. We have to give each other space once in a while, otherwise the relationship would feel smothered."

"Meh, that's true. I wouldn't want to be the clingy-type of girlfriend, either. …What are you drawing anyway?"

Chidori showed them her sketchbook, showing a half-done sketch of Koromaru. "I decided to take a shot at drawing animals. Since I've seen Koromaru around the most, he was easy to draw,"

"Wow! That's really good, Chidori!" Fuuka gasped. "You should have joined Art Club… I bet you would've become president!"

"Keisuke asked me the same thing… but I turned down the offer. I prefer being a solo-hobbyist,"

"Doesn't that get boring, though?" Natsuki asked. "I mean, the only time I've seen you interact with everyone was during rehearsals. Actually… You were the same way, Fuuka!"

"I was?" Fuuka questioned, then thought about it. "Oh… I guess so… I-I was really shy, though!"

"Ha ha, I'll say- we had to develop your character off-set because you were too shy to be in front of the cameras!"

"I remember… Everyone kept giving me tips on how to relax, until I finally felt comfortable. Actually, the cameras were hidden during one rehearsal in Tartarus, and no one told me about it until after we were done!"

Natsuki beamed. "That was my idea! I figured if we hid the camera, you'd unwind and do better working with everyone,"

"They hid the cameras during my scenes too- the director claimed he wanted it to feel real," Chidori said, continuing drawing. "Takaya said I sounded soulless with my first lines, with him and Jin- he claimed Makoto showed more emotion than I did."

"Yeah, well, the way he hammed it up with his acting, anyone else would look blank,"

Chidori chuckled. "I think blank-looks was all he got the first few scenes."

"Shh! Someone's coming!" Fuuka gasped. She and Natsuki ducked down, while Chidori remained still.

In walked Takaya. "Ah, Chidori… Didn't feel like hiding, again?" he asked in a smug tone.

"The sooner I'm found, the sooner the game is over with," Chidori answered.

"I see. …If you didn't even want to participate, why did you come along?" The charismatic villain-lead grinned. "…Perhaps because of a certain male co-star you've grown fond of?"

"I came because it was a good chance to look around Tartarus. I never got a chance to do so for any scenes. Playing a game inside just sounds ridiculous to me, though."

"Ah, but Chi-san, you must embrace these moments! It won't be long before we all go our separate ways. I will be graduating, as well as your other senpais, and next year the majority of you will be seniors. …This may be the only time we'll all be allowed to enjoy one another's company. Do not take advantage of this time- make friends, make memories… make life worthwhile." With that, he walked out.

Chidori stood up, waiting until Takaya had walked away. She then turned to Natsuki and Fuuka. "It was fun hiding with you two," she stated, before beginning to walk.

"Um, Chidori-san…" Fuuka spoke up, quietly enough so Takaya wouldn't hear. "Why didn't you reveal us?"

Chidori smirked. "Friends don't rat each other out." She then left.

Natsuki nodded. "…She's pretty cool," she admitted.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Natsuki and Fuuka ended up being the last two found, having been discovered by Kazushi. With two seekers now- and as the night was starting to grow late- everyone decided to make this the last round… and make it interesting.

"Alright, so the last ones to be found not only win the game, but also win the title of the most stealthy, elusive character ever animated… As well as the most hansom and intelligent," Junpei announced.

"Perhaps we can make it a bit more interesting than that," Jin spoke up with a grin. "The first one found has to buy dinner for everyone here…"

"Dinner again?" Akihiko commented.

"I think we can do better- first one found has to host a house-party next weekend at the Dorm!" Kenji suggested. "Almost like that celebration you guys had in the game- only with twice as much food, loud music… and more women!"

"And the last one found will be the guest of honor," Mitsuru added.

"AND… They can ask out ANYONE they want on a date, and that person as to say 'yes'," Ryoji threw in. He looked at Aigis as he said this, bouncing his eyebrows; she only rolled her eyes.

"Ooh, this shall be an interesting round," Elizabeth said, clapping her hands with excitement.

"Well, you guys better find some good hiding spots, because with the TWO of us on the prowl, no one has a prayer!" Natsuki declared, one arm around Fuuka. "C'mon, Fuuka- let's get counting!"

Fuuka followed her- namely because she was being pulled into the Velvet room. "Whoa! N-Natsuki, slow down!" she exclaimed.

Everyone ran up to the second floor. "Hey, everyone, hold on!" Kazushi called. "I have an idea,"

"Make it quick- Natsuki's probably counting by 5's," Kenji said.

"Let's all partner up- with the number of rooms, they'll have less chances of finding someone,"

"That could work- plus, with two or more people being found first, they can split the expenses for a house-party," Mitsuru agreed. "Now, who will hide with whom?"

"I choose Eliz-!" Ryoji and Kenji both began to cry out.

"I'd like to hide with Koro-chan," Elizabeth stated, before the boys could finish.

"Yip!" Koromaru exclaimed, welcoming her.

"Dammit…" Kenji hissed.

"O-Okay, then I'll hide with M-" Ryoji began.

"I'll hide with Akihiko again," Mitsuru said- and was it everyone's imagination, or was she giving him a playful grin? …Either way, he blushed.

"Alright… Yuk-"

"Yukari, would you and Aigis like to hide with me and Junpei?" Makoto asked the two girls.

"Sure!" Yukari replied.

"Sounds good," Aigis replied.

Ryoji looked over at Chidori.

"Don't even think about it…" Junpei warned him in a whisper, giving him the 'Don't Mess With My Girl' death-glare.

"I'll hide with Elizabeth and Koromaru," Chidori said- while apparently giving Junpei an appreciative nod.

"Shinjiro-senpai, you can hide with me- Let's head to the top!" Kazushi exclaimed. "We can win this thing!"

"It's a fucking hide-and-seek game…!" Shinjiro groused, but followed.

"Akinari, would you like to accompany us?" Takaya asked Akinari.

The pale teen gave a nod. "Very well," he stated.

"Ken, you're with me!" Pharos exclaimed.

"Alright!" Ken exclaimed.

Everyone then scattered…

…leaving just Ryoji and Kenji left.

"So… know any good spots?" Kenji asked.

Ryoji only face-palmed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jin, Takaya, and Akinari wandered around the third-floor. "You two go on one side, I will go on the other," Takaya stated.

"I thought we planned on hiding together!" Jin criticized.

"Yes, but we didn't say we had to share the same room…" Takaya then walked off.

Jin rolled his eyes, muttering curses under his breath. "C'mon- in here," he told Akinari, as they went around a corner and hid in a room, behind two pillars.

Akinari quietly sat down. It was then Jin noticed that, out of the entire group- some of whom he could hear yakking it up on other floors- Akinari was the most silent, as the actor for the 'Dying Man' social-link stared at the walls.

Jin remained silent- as long as his partner was quiet, at least that meant they wouldn't be caught so easily…

"AAUUUGGGHHH!"

Both of them jumped at the sound of the scream. "What the hell was that?!" they could hear Junpei cry out from near the stairs.

Following the scream came laughter, and Jin peeked out just in time to see Ken and Pharos running by, trying to stifle their snickers.

…In pursuit of them was Takaya. "You little brats! You're going to pay for that!" he shouted as he chased them.

"What did they do to him…?" Akinari asked in a whisper.

"I dunno. Pharos is always pulling some sort of prank… And if it freaked out Takaya, I don't want to know," Jin scoffed.

They sat silent, hearing Takaya chasing after the two elementary students from the other side of the floor.

"So… why did you come along?" Akinari asked Jin after a couple minutes went by. "To be with your friends, or are you nostalgic?"

Jin arched an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Just wondering about everyone's reasons for coming- it's just a game of hide-and-seek in a building, yet everyone saw it as a great way to hang out. Some came because they never got to be inside Tartarus, others came to spend time with their friends, and a few just came to mess around."

"Why did you come?"

Akinari looked at the wall, apparently studying the texture. "Just to do something new. I never got to play games as a child- my health condition was so poor, I had to be inside most of the time. Unlike everyone else who is planning for the future… I'm not sure if I'll make it too far. So- similar to Takaya—I just live in the moment, not taking advantage of a single thing. Playing a game of hide-and-seek may sound ridiculous to anyone else… but when you know your life-span is limited, you take value in the little things."

"Wait… you mean… you're actually sick?!" Jin looked at him, stunned; most of the social-link characters had 'made up' stories, only very few of them based on truth.

Akinari nodded. "I asked the producers to write the ending of my social-link story as bittersweet… not too sad, but not 'happy'. The director claimed it fit the concept of the 'good' ending perfectly- it's not about why you were put on earth, but what you do with your life, and the kind of impact you leave on everyone. …I mainly signed up so that I could use the money to pay off my family's hospital bills. All in all, though, I'm glad I did it- meeting everyone helped lift my spirits a bit. Anyone else would have just ignored me or pitied me… but you all treated me like there was nothing wrong with me,"

"That's because we didn't know… Geez, Akinari! Does anyone else know?"

"Makoto was the first I told; Keisuke figured it out though kept quiet; and Igor found out somehow, though assured me that there is nothing to worry about. I'm sure the others knew, though never said anything just so I wouldn't feel bad. …It's rare to find good friends like that, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah, sure…"

Akinari looked at him. "Are you close to many people?"

"Ah… not really. I mean, I worked with them for a while, but I never really got close. Takaya only hangs around me because we're co-stars, otherwise I just kept to myself. I'm not that social,"

"I see… Then, may I ask again, why did you come here?"

Jin paused, thinking. Coming back to the set felt automatic- he just came for no reason. He could have just ignored the text message and stayed home… but instead, he came back to Tartarus, just for some game.

Thinking deeper about it… it was because it was the last time they'd ever be here. Sure, he wasn't close to everyone, but he didn't want to seem like an antisocial jerk either. Actually, it was a little more interesting than he first thought it would be- hiding in a dark building, hearing everyone whisper or joke around, exploring the floors without having to be on a time-limit or having directions to follow…

…Also he heard Takaya scream like he was on fire. That was something worth remembering.

Thinking back to all their rehearsals, despite he was always serious about his role, he had to admit it was all fun. He even had to snicker when Junpei made a crack about his 'suicide' in his final scene, and found himself smirking at all the times he and Takaya cracked jokes about each other's choice in attire.

"I guess… I just wanted to." Jin finally admitted. "I've been such a stick in the mud that… it was about time I took part in something fun for a change,"

Akinari nodded. "You chose a great time to do so,"

"Aha! There you guys are!" came a shout, as Yukari entered the room. "I thought there was someone in here,"

"Oh, hello, Yukari. Is the game over already?" Akinari asked, as he and Jin stepped out.

"No, we still have to find Shinji-senpai and Kaz-kun," Yukari answered. "I think Makoto and Junpei are looking for them on the top-"

"Found 'em," Makoto stated, walking by with Shinjiro, Kazushi, and Junpei.

"Wow, this was a quick round," Jin commented.

"Well… it was pretty easy. Taka-san ended up being caught first- Pharos and Ken pretty much lead him straight to Natsuki-tan before they bailed and hid at the last second." Junpei stated with a grin. "The rest of us ended up caught because they heard us all laughing,"

"What did those two do to make him scream like that?" Aigis had to ask, walking over.

"No idea- we just know he tried using one of the elevators, and ended up freaking out." Akihiko stated, as he and the rest walked over.

"That's what you get for trying to cheat," Pharos told Takaya with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, congratulations, you twerps pulled a fast one- I was just pretending to be scared, though!" Takaya scoffed, crossing his arms. "I happen to be quite convincing in my line of acting…"

"Then why were you chasing us?" Ken snickered.

Takaya glared. "Because one of you brats pantsed me!"

"It was one prank I never got to do," Pharos said with a shrug.

"Well I hope it was worth it, because next time you turn around, there's going to be hell to pay!"

Pharos blinked… then turned around, facing Takaya. "Not today!"

"Why you little-!"

"Let it go, Takaya- just focus on preparing for the house-party that YOU have to throw," Natsuki said with a teasing wink.

"Yeah, be sure to have a good spread, too!" Kazushi added.

"Whatever…" Takaya muttered bitterly.

Everyone walked down to the ground floor, meeting up with Kurosawa. "I got a call from the managers- they said it's getting late and they want you off the set now," he said.

"*sigh* And it was getting so fun…" Elizabeth sighed.

"At least it was fun while it lasted," Mitsuru said.

"…Let's just never do it again," Shinjiro sneered.

"Oh, c'mon Shinji! You and Kaz won the title of 'Guest of Honor'- as well as other things." Junpei told him, giving him a nudge. "You should be happy!"

"Sure." Shinjiro walked on.

"Well, I'm looking forward to it, at least," Kazushi said, as everyone walked out of Tartarus and to the entrance of the lot.

"Next weekend is sure to be a blast," Ken stated. "I just hope I'm allowed to come,"

"I'll invite you along so you will be- as long as Ryoji is going, I'll be going too." Pharos added.

"…Anyone else feel like we're forgetting something?" Makoto asked, looking around at the group.

0o0o0o0o0

"We sure picked a great hiding spot! They'll never to think to look here!" Kenji snickered.

"Who are you going to ask to the party?" Ryoji asked him.

"Elizabeth, who else? What about you?"

"I can't decide… Maybe Aigis- no wait, Yuko! Maybe Yuka-tan… Or should I ask Fuuka?"

"Geez, why don't you just make yourself a harem?"

Ryoji's eyes widened. "You think I can do that?"

"…No, not really."

"Very funny, Kenji."

The two of them waited in silence… having chosen to hide in the elevator; they found a loophole in the rule- they couldn't use the elevator to travel through floors… but they could use it as a hiding-spot!

Too bad it was starting to get boring.

"Man, they're taking forever! Where ARE they?!" Kenji asked after half-an-hour went by.

"I'm going to go check." Ryoji stated, though bumped into the wall.

*KA-CHUNK!*

A 'Death' prop fell down in front of them, hanging before them and letting out its 'hissing' sound effect.

The boys screamed, yet two more victims of Pharos and Ken's ingenious prank; they never stopped running until they were underneath the safety of their beds.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Almost every time I went through Tartarus, I would always think, 'Wonder what playing hide-and-seek' in here be like? I was aiming for more humor here, but thought it would be a good opportunity for some character interactions.

Also, if anyone has some favorite 'Social Link' characters they'd like me to throw in, I'm open- I only threw in a couple of my favorites (my top five are Kenji, Kazushi, Akinari, Bebe, and Keisuke). I wish the game's plot was longer so I could complete ALL the social links, as there were some I had yet to finish, but maybe I will if I play the game again.

Please review, lend some constructive criticism if something looked/sounded wrong… but no flames or you'll be the next victim of Pharos' pranks.


	6. Heating Blanket Substitute

Okay, gotta make a quick confession here. I love setting up fluff-situations… though many of you probably already realized that by now.

Every so often, when I get an idea or are just in a warm-fuzzy mood, I pause everything else that I'm doing and write down a quick fluff set-up. Sometimes I use the same characters as before, or try a new combination.

In other words, this next fic is going to involve some bromance between our favorite protagonist and his class-clown friend.

…God help me if they're reading this… 0_0

 _Disclaimer:_ If I owned the game, scenes like this would show up often.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Setting:_ Sometime during the Winter Exams.

 _Genre:_ Fluff/Friendship/Bromance

 _Summary:_ It's a freezing night, and Makoto can't sleep. Thankfully Junpei manages to offer a bit of warmth- in a subconscious way.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

*fwump*

Makoto kicked the heating-blanket off of his bed, grimacing. It had been three hours since he turned it on, yet its temperature failed to climb; it was an old blanket, so perhaps the circuits were fried.

Granted, on such a cold night (the forecast claiming it was going to drop to 13-degrees), it would be unwise to kick off an extra blanket, whether it was electric or not, but the protagonist was willing to deal with it; the fabric was too scratchy, and the wires inside added to the uncomfortable covering. Really, he only ever used it to lie over his sheets when it kicked on, the extra warmth distracting from the irritations.

 _I'll buy a new one tomorrow,_ Makoto told himself, figuring a trip to the mall would be worth walking in the cold, if he could find an electric blanket with a soft, thick covering. Right now, though, he needed to focus on sleep, especially since it was Exams week.

He had gotten better in his schoolwork, despite the pressure of balancing studying with rehearsals; he even had time to socialize a little. But when it came to Exams, he- along with everyone else- started cramming.

During the first couple months of his transfer, Mitsuru helped him in developing a study-habit, claiming it was important that he keep his grades up; she helped him push himself after promising to give him a reward if his grades were good. What kind of reward, he didn't know, as he wasn't quite a 'genius' yet- but, he was working on it, just to prove her lessons had been a great help.

When Mitsuru was too busy with her own studying, Makoto would study with his other classmates. Ryoji had transferred to another school in a different district- which worked well as his next scene wouldn't have to be held until New Years Eve, and he had to appear 'transferred' anyway- so they didn't study much together; Yukari had already chosen Aigis as a study-partner; Fuuka did her studying in the library so she could rehearse her lines at home; Akihiko studied while training- having a book lying open in front of him while he practiced his jabs at his punching-bag; and his 'Social Link' pals preferred to study at home.

The only other one he ever studied with was Junpei- but only because his friend had struggled with his schoolwork. Thankfully, as time went by, he began having less trouble. Makoto had noticed a change in his study habits- as he used to just cram late at night, falling asleep on his books as he did, but now managed to study [a little bit] the weekend before Exams began; Chidori managed to 'trick' him into studying while in the hospital, claiming she didn't want to fall behind in her schoolwork and asked him to quiz her.

Granted, his grades were still low… but at least he wasn't on the verge of flunking, and was improving.

Yet the one thing everyone had in common was that the stress of the exams always got to them… and everyone had their own habits.

Akihiko would work off his stress the way he always did- training to exhaustion. Once Exams were over, he'd sleep for the whole weekend.

Mitsuru herself had her own habit; despite being an honor-student, she still felt stress during exams. Her habit involved taking long walks, mostly to relax her mind.

Shinjiro cooked meals to ease his stress, despite he didn't attend school that much (yet still managed to keep his grades up during exams, somehow); Fuuka would end up eating the sweets he would make, the stress giving her a nervous appetite.

Yukari had a habit of pacing around as she studied- read a paragraph, walk around, and repeat, as it went. Sometimes, she would walk up and down the hall while reading a book, as if the exercise would help her brain absorb the information quicker.

Aigis had a habit of chewing her nails out of stress as she studied, and it normally took until the next mid-term exam for them to grow back to a decent length. She once tried wearing gloves- even the ones part of her robotic-suit- in order to break the habit, only to find they became a distraction for her studying.

Makoto listened to music while he studied- his own stressful habit being he would 'jam out' in the privacy of his room to work off the tension, and he would end up studying late at night because he spent most of the afternoon listening to music.

He looked at his music-player and headphones now. Sleep wasn't coming to him, as the night's chill was getting to him. _Maybe I could jam out, then fall asleep._ He thought, figuring the exercise would warm him up, as well as exhaust him enough to get some sleep.

However, there were two flaws with that plan. The first flaw was that it normally took him two hours of jamming out to grow tired, and it was already nearing midnight, meaning he would still be drowsy in the morning and unable to concentrate on the test.

The other flaw was the fact that it was late at night, and his 'jam outs' would be heard by everyone- and the last thing he wanted to do was wake up everyone in the middle of Exams Week. Just imagining a pissed off Shinjiro storming into his room and chewing him out was enough to make his blood freeze…

…despite it already felt frozen-solid now.

 _*shuffle, shuffle, shuffle*_

 _*mooaan…*_

Makoto sat up a little, remembering another 'stressful habit' that was seen in the Dorm.

Junpei's sleepwalking.

He shook his head. The first time it happened, the group had thought there was an intruder inside the Dorm, when really it was just their friend wandering in his sleep. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it was back then- normally, all he would do was walk up and down the halls, and fall asleep on the couch, if not wake up on his own and head back to bed.

Though, everyone made sure to lock the doors, as well as the one to the kitchen, and to double-check to make sure all of their possessions were in their rooms, as he would often take something and put it in a weird location (as he once put Makoto's headphones in the fridge). Thankfully, this only occurred during Exams…

…though that didn't mean it was any less irritating. "I swear, if he wakes me up before sunrise, I'm locking him outside!" Shinjiro once groused when he heard about the habit.

Everyone else had to agree- if Junpei disturbed them at all in his sleepwalking… well, waking up wasn't going to be pleasant for him.

Makoto took this into consideration, listening to his friend's footsteps walking up and down the hall, before going downstairs. As if he wasn't having enough trouble sleeping…

Groaning, he shifted under his blankets, tossing and turning a little bit in order to warm up the bed quicker. The howling wind outside caused him to shiver, and he wished his room wasn't the last one at the end of the hall- as it was built with two outer-walls of the building, making it the least-insulated of all the rooms.

He looked at the heating-vent located in the wall by his closet, mentally urging it to kick on. Perhaps he could move his blanket and pillow down by it, and sleep there for the night…

That was another idea pushed to the side, as he remembered doing so would result in him having a cold, as the on-and-off exposure wasn't good for his health.

The protagonist curled up tighter. Maybe if he were lucky, they would get a blizzard that night and the rest of the exams would be postponed… until he remembered they were in the one area of Japan that never seemed to get any snow, so the chances of a snow-day were a million to one.

 _Just close your eyes and sleep. You don't want to end up sick again,_ Makoto told himself, shutting his eyes and trying to forget about the freezing temperature. Was anyone else in the Dorm freezing? He would have to talk to Mitsuru about raising the temperature.

 _*click*_

 _*creak…*_

"W-What…?" Makoto gasped, sitting up and turning to the door, seeing it had been opened!

Someone then entered the room, pacing to the right, then the left… then picking up a book and setting it in his sink.

The protagonist groaned, face-palming. _Fuck… I forgot to lock my door…_ he scolded himself, as he watched Junpei walk over to the closet.

"Junpei… Junpei!" Makoto called out in a whisper. "Wake up!"

"Uhn… huh…? Wha…?" Junpei responded, seemingly awake… or looked to be, as his eyes were half-open, though the drowsy expression remained.

"Go back to your room, you're sleepwalking again."

"Hn… n'okay…zzz…" His best-friend then went and crawled back in bed.

…

"JUNPEI!"

Only problem: it wasn't _his_ bed.

The protagonist moved back, a bit appalled, as his best friend- still in a delusional slumber- ended up crawling into the bed, lying down beside him. Once his head was on the pillow, he lay still as a rock, snoring.

Makoto tapped him, pushed him, and even hit him on the shoulder with his fist, trying to wake him up… only to remember that Junpei was a heavy sleeper- even worse if he had been up late, studying. Granted, in class, he was easy to wake up when the teacher would snap at him- but since he was lying against a hard, cold desk instead of a soft, warm bed, it was easy to snap him awake.

It also didn't help that the bed was only made to fit a single person, so Makoto was pretty much against the wall as his friend- lying on his stomach and taking up 75-percent of the mattress- pretty much violated his personal space.

The protagonist tried shoving him once more- maybe pushing him clear off would wake him up; if not, well, at least he'd have the bed to himself again. He managed to get Junpei onto his side… but his friend only shifted and lied on his back.

 _Maybe I should just douse him with cold water…_ Makoto thought, scowling. Then again, he didn't want to soak the bed and end up even colder than he felt now.

He wrapped his arms around himself, having briefly forgotten how freezing the room was. Maybe if he were lucky, Junpei would wake up from the low temperature and move back to his room, where it was warmer…

Pausing, Makoto took this idea into consideration. _Since Junpei decided to crash in my bed, I'll just go sleep in his._ He decided.

He began to crawl over to the edge of the bed- not bothering to be quiet, as Junpei could pretty much sleep through an earthquake. He reached over his friend's stomach with his hand hanging on to the edge, then brought his leg over. Dear Lord, he could hear the fan-girls screaming from here- better hurry up and get out, he decided…

An arm reached up and wrapped around him just then, pulling him down. "Uaahh!" he grunted, trying to twist away, but another arm wrapped around his stomach and held him down.

Junpei turned, sighing softly in his sleep as he unsuspectingly snuggled his friend in his subconscious state. (Say that 10 times fast).

Makoto froze, trying to comprehend all that had happened within just five seconds. He tried to pull away, but his best-friend's arms held him tight, keeping him locked in a spooning-position. _Shit…_ he thought, his eye lightly twitching.

"Junpei. Wake. Up." He said, no longer bothering to keep his voice quiet. Though, he didn't want to shout- if anyone came in and saw the two in this position, he'd never live it down.

Junpei only snored lightly.

"C'mon, Stupei, get up!" Makoto tried elbowing him, only receiving a soft grunt in reply. His friend chuckled in his sleep, apparently having a good dream… which only worried the protagonist more. If that dream resulted in him 'unsheathing his sword', they were going to have a MAJOR problem.

 _If he tries 'groping' me in his sleep, he won't live to see Christmas._ The protagonist thought in bitterness. He tried turning, in hopes of loosening his friend's hold and managing to break free. But, Junpei's grip held, and Makoto only ended up facing him, face planted on his friend's chest. He groaned in defeat. _Well… at least we're not 'spooning' anymore…_

The best-friend sighed in his sleep once more. His arms shifted, holding the protagonist close, one hand rubbing his back for a mere moment. His expression seemed relaxed, and- outside of the snoring- his breathing was slow and steady, almost having a rhythm.

 _What is he dreaming about?_ Makoto had to wonder. He had seen Junpei asleep before- on the bus, couch, in class, or off-screen between rehearsals. During those times he was pretty much as limp as a ragdoll, lying like a rug (…or a rock, when you tried to move him). Never, in the entire year since they've known each other, had Makoto ever seen or heard of the class-clown snuggle with something. Maybe drool on something, but not cuddle up to it.

…actually, he was hoping the drooling wouldn't happen, either…

The protagonist let out another groan, this one muffled as he was pressed against his friend's abdomen. He was too exhausted to struggle, too tired to think, and just wanted to sleep. Hopefully by the time he woke up, Junpei would have wandered back to his own bed.

The wind howled once more outside, signifying that the temperature outside continued to drop, and probably wouldn't rise until the sun came up. It was then Makoto realized that he forgot about being cold- with his best friend suddenly clinging to him, warmth had come (either from the shared body-heat, or the embarrassment).

Fatigue enveloped him then, and he shut his eyes, drifting off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _5:30 AM_

"Um… dude? Why are you hugging me?"

Makoto heard the rumble in Junpei's chest as his friend spoke; opening his eyes, he noticed that his head was resting on his friend's abdomen. Groggily, he looked up at him, seeing the confused (and slightly freaked out) look on the class-clown's face.

Recollecting the incident that happened hours before, the protagonist sat up, moving away from his best friend. "You were sleepwalking again and ended up in my room," he answered. "And you… crawled into my bed by mistake."

"Your room? What're ya talking about, this is my-" Junpei sat up, getting a good look around… and his eyes widened."…this is not my room." He shook his head, looking at Makoto. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried! You were out cold. You're a heavy-sleeper, remember?"

"Oh, right… B-But, why were you hugging me?"

"You ended up hugging me first! I tried to move away, but you wouldn't let me go!"

"Seriously? I don't believe it! You sure you didn't hug me first?"

"I was wide-awake! …What was going through your mind last night?"

Junpei shrugged. "Mostly nerves about the exams." He paused, rubbing his goatee in thought. "Wait… I did have a dream… yeah, that explains it,"

"What kind of dream was it… or do I want to know?"

Junpei smirked. "I just had a dream that I was back in Yukashima, and there was this really hot babe who wanted me to rub oil on her back, and she let me untie her top-"

Makoto paled and blushed at the same time. "Stop being a pervert! Otherwise I'll throw cold water on you next time!"

"I'm kidding!" He sat back. "The dream I had was about the exams. I dreamt that I was taking a test, but all the words were in gibberish, like random letters and numbers mixed up with each other, and my pencil ended up falling out of my hand and rolling into the hallway. …When I chased after it, I ended up outside near the strip mall, and it was snowing!"

"That is weird… but how does that connect to you hugging me?"

"I'm getting there! …In the dream, I forgot about the exams and just aimed in getting out of the cold; suddenly, I see you standing by the Dorm, telling me to go back to bed!"

Makoto nodded. "I tried telling you to go back to bed… and that's when you crawled into mine,"

"Well, in the dream, I ended up in my room, hitting the mattress… then it changed to me hugging a giant Jack Frost doll. That's probably when I hugged you."

"Probably… let's just hope it doesn't happen again," Makoto rubbed his temples. "I already had trouble sleeping because it was so freezing in here,"

"Don't you have a heating blanket?"

"It shorted out. I'll have to get a new one."

"So… I guess you were freezing until I came and warmed you up, right?" Junpei gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Not so bad, was it?"

Makoto gave him a glare. "Just don't do it again… and don't tell anyone about it!"

His best friend rolled his eyes. "Yeah right, like I'd tell everyone I snuggled up to my best friend. People would be making gay cracks about us until we graduated college, dude! …I'm taking it to my grave,"

"Good. …Now, get out. It's almost 6 AM, and I want to get some extra studying in before we head to school,"

"Sheesh, you really are hitting the books, aren't ya? C'mon, man, we're buddies! We're supposed to flunk together!"

"Or we could pass together. Studying more may decrease your chances of sleepwalking- and snuggling with someone, again."

"Okay, first of all, I've been cramming since last weekend and it still hasn't helped. Second, you're the one who didn't lock your door! And finally, I can't control my actions in my sleep!"

"Yeah, well it would've been worse if you were having an ecchi dream…"

"Oh, get real! …hey, did you hear that?"

"What?"

Junpei turned to the door. "It sounded like someone snickering…" He walked over and pulled open the door…

…just in time to see Yukari running down the hall and up the stairs, trying to contain her giggles.

"That little…!" Junpei raced after her. "YOU'D BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, YUKARI!"

"DAMMIT, JUNPEI, SHUT UP! IT'S SIX IN THE FUCKING MORNING!" Shinjiro shouted from his room.

Makoto sighed, walked over to the door, and locked it. He then began to study- while hoping to find some way to keep Yukari quiet.

He was reassured when she sent him a text message, "Don't worry, I'll keep it secret for your sake… I'll just blackmail Junpei ;)"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: I was going to make this longer, via making it to where Makoto ended up sharing a room with Junpei after so many failed attempts in keeping warm… but decided to have mercy this time. I may use the whole 'room-mate' bit in another chapter someday, though.

Also since I've already thrown in enough fluff between them so far, it's time to take a break. (Especially since they're looking for me right now- have to wait for the heat to die down before I include another fluff moment between them).

If there's other characters you'd like me to throw into a fluffy situation, say so in the reviews!

It may be a while before I update this story again, as I need to work on a few other stories- just setting it on the back-burner for the time being (like it could ever fall under hiatus XD)

Until next time, review! But no flames… Junpei and Makoto, this goes double for you!


	7. Secret Sister

Okay, okay, okay- I KNOW I have a million other stories to update, but this idea wouldn't leave my head! …yes it'll contain fluff, but only a teeny bit.

I came up with this idea while talking with fellow-author, **theIdiosocracy,** after falling in love with her story "Hidden Affection". Thanks to her I was inspired with the concept of Makoto having a twin-sister (aka the Female-Protagonist). …I know more people have done this, but this author was the first to introduce me to the idea, so she gets the shout-out! (She also helped me come up with some ideas for the set-up, too, so that's another reason)

Also I never played the portable-version… but I want to soooo badly! …so if something seems amiss, I apologize.

I couldn't decide on a name for her either (didn't want to steal the one from theIdiosocracy), so I decided to give her the name 'Yuki Arisato'- based on Makoto's two last-names (he's either called Makoto Yuki or Minato Arisato… I chose Makoto Arisato for this little fic so we can have the best of both worlds XD)

I'm also including a recycled idea from Chapter 3 "Talk To Me"… You'll see it as the chapter goes on.

Read on, good readers!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Setting:_ During various parts of the game, to the end.

 _Synopsis:_ Makoto receives a startling phone-call… and the cast is introduced to their new female protagonist.

 _Genre:_ Family/Friendship.

 _Disclaimer:_ All rights belong to Atlus.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _"_ _...Are you sure you'll be alright? I can stay if you need me too."_

 _"_ _This is a big opportunity, Makoto! Don't let me hold you back,"_

 _"_ _You're not holding me back- I just want to make sure you'll be okay without me. I wish you could have transferred, too…"_

 _"_ _Don't worry, I'll be fine! And I'll keep working hard so I can transfer to Gekkoukan High too. …Now, hurry and get on the train! You don't want to miss your audition for Persona 3. And let me know how it all goes- I want all the details!"_

 _"_ _Sure thing. I'll call you every weekend and tell you everything! Just… take care of yourself, okay? And… if they do anything to hurt you, tell me- I'll find a way to bring you to Iwatodai, transfer or not!"_

 _"_ _Ha ha, you worry too much, bro. I'm a tough girl, I can handle it! Now hurry up and go get famous!"_

 _"_ _Alright, alright… See ya, Yuki! I'll call you after I arrive!"_

 _"_ _Bye!"_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*May*_

"Hey, has anyone seen Makoto?" Yukari asked, as she walked into the lounge. "I haven't seen him since after rehearsal this afternoon,"

"Maybe he's going over lines for the next scene," Akihiko guessed.

"That's what I thought, but he wasn't in his room. Are you sure he didn't mention any plans?"

"Not to our knowledge. If he isn't in his room, he's probably hanging out with another friend, or attending a late after-school practice." Mitsuru answered.

"Yeah, but he normally lets us know…"

"Why are you so anxious about it, Yuka-tan?" Junpei asked, smirking as he did. "…Did you have plans of your own for him, before the next scene?"

Yukari blushed, giving Junpei a glare. "Ugh, don't be an idiot, Stupei… But he did say he wanted to go over our lines one more time before tonight. I'm just wondering what's taking him- it's already getting late,"

"Takeba is right," Mitsuru agreed, looking at her watch. "Our next rehearsal is less than an hour. Arisato is normally very punctual,"

"He's probably just killing time!" Junpei replied coolly, leaning back on the couch. "He'll be on the set by tonight, you'll see."

"Still… I get the feeling something is wrong," Yukari stated in concern.

"I get the feeling you worry too much, Yuka-tan. C'mon, we can start walking there now- we'll probably see him on the way,"

"Good idea. We can get some extra rehearsing in, too." Akihiko added.

Everyone began walking to the school, where the next scene was going to take place. Yukari kept her eyes peeled for any sign of their main-lead, Makoto Arisato, but saw no sign of him. He wasn't anywhere near Iwatodai Station, or hanging around the Strip Mall; no one saw him at Paulownia Mall; and he didn't seem to be in front of Gekkoukan High.

By this time, it was five minutes until the next scene, and the group was getting anxious. They saw Fuuka Yamagishi, their new co-star, sitting on a bench nearby, going over lines with a supporting character, Natsuki. "…and that's when I start apologizing to you." Natsuki was saying. "How does this sound? _…*sob* Fuuka, I'm soooo sorry! So, so, SO sorry! Please forgive meee_!"

"Um… maybe tone it down a little? Y-You don't want to overdo it too much," Fuuka shyly suggested.

"Yamagishi, have you've seen Arisato on the set, anywhere?" Mitsuru asked Fuuka. "We haven't seen him since this afternoon."

"I think I saw him walking around earlier. He was on his phone, so I didn't bother him,"

"He'd better not skip out. My parents won't let me miss cram-school twice!" Natsuki scoffed.

"I wonder what's keeping him?" Akihiko wondered. "You think he was hanging out at the Shrine with Maiko, again?"

"I doubt he'd hang out with her this late," Yukari stated, rubbing her arm- a nervous habit she had.

"Everyone, get to your places! Natsuki, head to the Dorm; Fuuka, start walking to the Tartarus set." Director Akitaya called. He then noticed the SEES cast. "Where's Makoto? I thought I told you all to be here at 11!"

"W-We don't know! I tried calling him, but the line was busy," Yukari told him. "We were hoping he'd be-"

"Here!" came a call, as Makoto came running around the corner. "I'm sorry I'm late…"

"Mako-man! What was keeping you, bud?" Junpei asked.

"Yeah, where were you?" Akihiko added.

"Sorry- I got a phone-call after our last scene. The reception was bad so I had to go up to the roof to hear anything." Makoto said.

"Must've been something important- you've been gone for hours!"

"Um, yeah sorry- I guess I lost track of time. I-I was going to be out here sooner, but I forgot which door was left unlocked…!"

"Who was it that called you?" Yukari asked.

"Save it for later, guys! We're on a tight schedule here!" Akitaya called. "Everyone to your places- and Junpei, if you botch up your lines one more time, I'm giving your role to the gofer!"

"…geez, accidentally cut a prop in half _one time,_ and pay for it the rest of your life…" Junpei muttered under his breath.

Yukari rolled her eyes, walking into the building with Makoto, all the while wondering what kind of call nearly caused him to miss a rehearsal.

 _~Earlier~_

 _"_ _Are you serious?! W-Why didn't you go to the police?!"_

 _"_ _They wouldn't believe me. The bitch convinced them I wiped out on my bike, and wanted everyone to think she did it."_

 _"…_ _she just has an alibi for everything, doesn't she? …Yuki, just say the word, and I'll come home-"_

 _"_ _No way! You barely got started on the production. Besides, it's just a scratch- I'll just sign up for an after-school activity so I'm at home, less. …Speaking of which, tell me more about how you joined the Swim Team! And what's the new character like? What was her name, again?"_

 _"_ _Fuuka, and she's really nice- kind of shy, though. Swim Team is going good, too- Kazushi really knows how to push everyone to their fullest potential. He's more obsessed with training than Akihiko-senpai! …Are you sure you're okay?"_

 _"_ _I'm FINE, bro. Tell me more about Iwatodai. I want all the details!"_

 _"_ _*sigh* Okay. …Well, Junpei cut a Shadow-prop's head off during practice, last week… The director's still pissed at him!"_

 _"_ _Ha ha, he's the class-clown you hang out with, right? He sounds like a riot! I hope I can meet him someday,"_

 _"_ _Ha ha, well be careful, he may try to ask you out on a date,"_

 _"_ _Very funny. …Speaking of which, how's things going with Yukari? Have you've asked her out yet, or still working on your charm?"_

 _"_ _Ha ha, I forgot how to laugh. We're just friends, sis. …Oh, shit! I forgot we were going to go over lines!"_

 _"_ _Well, don't just stand there, Casanova- go find her!"_

 _"_ _Watch the nicknames- Junpei already teases me about it enough. …I'll call you back next week, okay? And… stay at a friend's house or something, if you can. Just until you heal up,"_

 _"_ _Alright, if you say so, Mako-bro."_

 _*click*_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*June*_

Mitsuru was walking to the Student Council Room; even though it was Thursday, she felt she could catch up on some extra work and stay ahead of schedule, balancing schoolwork, rehearsals, and her valedictorian duties. She sighed- it was hard being the student-body president, sometimes.

She was about to unlock the door, when she realized it was already open. Someone was inside. Looking in, she noticed it was Makoto.

"I know, I know, you can handle it… but you shouldn't have to. …I know, exams are coming up- but you're my top priority. … What? …Of course I care about my friends. …Junpei? …Yeah, he's still pissed at me. …Ha ha, I'd love to see you chew him out- but it's alright. He just needs time to cool down-"

"Arisato." Mitsuru stated, entering the room.

"Gah! …Um, I'll call you back tonight, gotta go!" Makoto quickly hung up, turning to Mitsuru and giving a respectful bow. "I apologize for being here, Senpai. I received an important call and needed somewhere quiet to talk."

"…After school? You could have just exited the building and gone to the Dorm; or have gone to the rooftop- didn't you once say you get better reception there?"

"Yeah… but the reception was good here, too… Pardon my ignorance, Mitsuru-senpai."

"I would not call it ignorance… But I would like to know who you were speaking with, which involved you to have a quiet location."

Makoto rubbed the back of his neck- hiding something from Mitsuru was something that proved impossible. "A friend from my old hometown. She's been, um, having a tough time- mainly because of exams and finding work!"

Mitsuru eyed him, suspiciously; she had the feeling he wasn't giving her all the details…

Yet she decided not to get involved in his personal life, unless the situation was critical. "Very well. Next time, ask me first if you can use the Council room. …You can stay and help me with a few things, while you're here." The valedictorian stated. She then looked at him, sincere suspicion in her eyes. "And if you get another important call, I would like to be informed if it includes a critical situation- if someone you know is in trouble, you can be sure I'll find a way to help. …Do we have an understanding on that?"

Makoto nodded, bowing in respect again. "Yes, Senpai. Thank you."

Mitsuru smiled. "Good. …Now, you can help me prepare for our next meeting tomorrow. I would like to sort out a few things to discuss- did you ever find a lead on who was smoking in school? Odagiri has been questioning everyone about it."

"Not yet,"

Makoto helped Mitsuru work; as they did, Mitsuru would break out of her focus every couple minutes to look at the protagonist, wondering what was going through his mind. She turned back to her own work, deciding to leave it be.

For the time being.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*July*_

Aigis sat on the beach with the others, relaxing after her first scene with the group. Fuuka sat beside her in a beach-chair, relaxing under the umbrella. "Yukeshima is so beautiful… I wish we could stay here for the whole summer," the shy-girl commented; she was still getting used to talking with everyone, mostly off-set.

"It is pretty relaxing… but I'm looking forward to going to Iwotodai." Aigis said, looking out at the ocean. "Yukeshima is a nice island, but it's so small and doesn't have much outside a beach and woods to walk in. When I heard they were looking for someone on the island to put in Persona 3, I signed up for auditions for a change of scenery, and to go to a better school. …I just hope everyone doesn't think I'm too weird, since I'll be acting like a robot most of the time!"

"Oh, don't worry, you'll fit in just fine…"

 _"…_ _yes I took pictures. It's really beautiful here… I wish you were here, too…"_

"Hm? …Did you hear that?" Fuuka looked around. "It sounds like someone talking…"

"It's coming from up the path. Let's see who it is," Aigis suggested, getting up and walking into the woods.

"W-Wait…!" Fuuka reluctantly followed, not exactly wanting to interrupt someone's conversation.

As they walked, the voice became more clear- and sounded familiar. _"…We did a scene where Junpei, Akihiko and I had to hit on girls and try to score. …Ha ha, no he didn't get slapped. That would have been funny though. …Aki-senpai was actually nervous about it. …I'm serious! He had this stutter going on- I don't know whether it was an act or not. …Very funny, what do you think I am, a pervert? …Oh, like you'd be any different!"_

"Makoto…?" Aigis guessed, as they went around the corner, seeing the protagonist walking up the path, talking on a cell-phone.

The main-lead hadn't noticed them. _"We have a new character, too. …Aigis, she's playing a robot who hunts Shadows. …Geez, are you going to make that comment about EVERY girl who joins? Maybe I should ask them to let you join. …Summer camp, huh? Sounds fun. How long will you be there? …Good, that'll keep you away from them for a while… I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to not being there.…No, I didn't tell them anything, like I promised. I wish I could tell them about you… I'm sure they would understand. …Alright, but if you change your mind, let me know…"_

"Who do you think he's talking to?" Aigis asked Fuuka in a whisper.

"Someone he doesn't want us to know about… W-We'd better not say anything," Fuuka replied. "C'mon, let's go back to the beach, before he notices us,"

"Alright," Sneaking off, the girls returned to the beach, though she overheard the last of the conversation.

 _"…_ _my phone battery is about to die. I'll call you up next week. …Love you too,"_ With that, Makoto hung up.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 _*September*_

"…right, I'll call you again. Just be careful- and if he tries it again, get on the next train here. …I'm serious, Yuki. If he lays a hand on you like that again, I want you to come to me. ...I don't care if she threatened him with a knife- that just makes me worry more. …Fine, but if anything happens again, I'm telling everyone. …Exams aren't important at the moment! …Okay, okay, I'll go study- but call me if anything happens!"

Makoto hung up the phone, sighing. It had been months, and he still couldn't stop worrying about Yuki. She was a strong girl, and managed to do well, especially since she was by herself at home most of the time… but once in a while, when a certain 'situation' came up, he wished he was back home…

"Who was that?"

"Gah!" Makoto jumped, turning around. Having been on the fifth floor, he didn't expect anyone to come up here… only to have forgotten the floor was Pharos' favorite hang-out. "Geez, Pharos, don't do that…"

"Sorry. I would have said something, but you were on the phone." Pharos gave him a concerned look. "…You look upset. Is there something wrong?"

"No... everything's fine." Makoto rubbed his eyes, sighing heavily. "I need to go study… Have you've been going over your lines?"

"Yes. …Who was that on the phone, though?"

"Just my- um, someone from my old hometown. We've been keeping in touch,"

"I see. …Are they in trouble? We could help, if you want,"

A lump formed in Makoto's throat. He wanted to tell everyone about Yuki- and how he wanted her to be with him in Iwatodai. But he couldn't- he had promised not to tell anyone of their predicament. She was independent and strong-willed- she didn't want anyone to worry… much less didn't want to hold him back from his chance at fame….An opportunity to get out of the hell-hole they lived in.

He just wished she was able to ace the auditions and get transferred to Gekkoukan High with him... but he was the only one who made it. She encouraged him to go, claiming she would find another way to get transferred.

Of course, Gekkoukan High was an exclusive High School. The only way someone could get in was if they had great grades, could afford the tuition… or earned a place in Persona 3, the director claiming he wanted to record everything at the school and make it feel as sincere as possible, with the characters attending it, taking classes, having exams- the works.

He wanted his sister to come to the school. Not just so she could have an escape as well… but also because it was a great place, full of great people.

But… she didn't want him to tell anyone about her. She wanted to make it there herself, not because someone was 'worried about her and wanted to save her'.

She was stubborn like that, sometimes…

"She's fine. It's nothing she can't handle," Makoto replied, feeling like he was lying through his teeth.

"Alright… if you say so," Pharos replied with a shrug, before walking off.

Makoto returned to his room to study… though found it hard, as he kept wondering how much longer Yuki could make it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*October*_

Shinji was walking with Ken and Aigis down the street. It was October 3rd, and they were supposed to rehearse for the next scene tomorrow night.

Only problem was Makoto failed to show up. The group went out to look for him, splitting up to search around the Dorm, Strip Mall, Paulownia Mall, and the Naganaki Shrine- four common places their friend always hung out at.

They had tried calling him, but the line was busy once again.

"Where do you think he is?" Ken asked. "Makoto barely misses a rehearsal!"

"He'd better have a good excuse, that's all I'm going to say." Shinji replied with a grunt.

They passed by the Shrine, and Aigis paused. "Listen," she said.

 _"…_ _I'm glad you're doing alright. …Of course I'm worried- it's my job,"_ It was Makoto. The others walked up the steps, seeing him sitting on a swing, talking on his phone.

"Makoto, there you are!" Ken exclaimed.

The protagonist gave a jolt. "I'll call you next week, I gotta go- bye!" he said hastily into his phone before hanging up. "…Um, hi guys. What's up?"

"You missed rehearsal- that's what's up, dipshit." Shinji sneered. "That phone-call better have been important!"

Makoto looked at his watch. "…Shit! I'm sorry guys- did everyone go home?"

"No, Akitaya-san sent us all to come look for you." Ken answered.

"Now let's get going! I don't want to be up all night pretending to die," Shinji sneered, walking off. Ken followed him.

Aigis walked beside Makoto, noticing his guilty expression. "Who were you talking to?" she asked in a whisper. "Was there an emergency?"

"N-no, just lost track of time," Makoto mumbled.

"Whoever you were talking to must be very close… Was it someone from your old hometown?"

Makoto gave her a look. "Let's just hurry to rehearsal, alright?" With that, he stormed ahead, passing Shinji and Ken.

"Whoa! What's his problem?" Ken asked, startled.

"Probably just pissed about being late." Shinji scoffed, nonchalant.

Aigis followed quietly, feeling as if she hit a nerve. She let out a sigh, mentally telling herself that Makoto would be fine.

But who was he talking to?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*November*_

Chidori sat up in the hospital bed, sighing heavily. _Anytime the doctors wanted to say I could leave, that would be great._ She thought, working on a sketch. She was beginning to grow tired of the blank walls, and the only source of color being some flowers that her friends brought in for her.

She looked up at the clock, seeing it read 3:20 PM. _3… 2... 1…_

"Hey, Chidorica, how are you holding up today?"

 _Right on the dot._ Chidori thought, looking over at her [frequent] visitor and co-star, Junpei. She gave him a small sneer. "Must you call me that every time you visit?" she scoffed, though had to smile.

He shrugged, taking a seat next to her bed. "Sorry, it's become a habit. …Anything new?"

"Nothing, as always. The doctors claim I won't be able to check out until sometime in December. My appendix is healed, but they still want me to do a bit of physical conditioning to make sure nothing else is ruptured,"

"Wow… they must really care about their patients at this hospital,"

Chidori shrugged. "Akitaya-san is paying them, and he DID claim he wants to make sure all the actors in the production are well. …Speaking of which, how is everyone? What's the new 'Ryoji' character like?"

Junpei laughed. "He's a real riot. …He hits on girls more than I do, though- Yukari actually stomped on his foot during one take. Funniest part is, it wasn't even in the script! Akitaya suggested they keep it in though, ha ha. …But other than that, he's pretty cool. Pharos sticks by him a lot, too."

"I did hear they were brothers. They must be close,"

"Meh, sort of- Ryoji sees his little bro as a pest, y'know like any older sibling would. He's been pretty fun on the set, and gets along with pretty much everyone- except the girls he flirts with, I think they're starting to catch on to his playboy nature."

Chidori smirked. "I guess he surpasses you on the 'pervert' scale, then."

"Hey… I'm not that perverted! …most of the time… *ahem* Anyway, I overheard something on my way here." He looked over his shoulder, as if making sure no one would come in.

"What was it?"

"Well… Makoto was talking on his cell-phone. I passed by the manga-shop at the Strip Mall, and saw him on a bench, chatting it up with someone. ...From what I could tell, it was a girl- and I think Makoto may like her. A LOT."

"What's so interesting about that? You didn't think Makoto would get a girlfriend?"

"No- I mean, I knew he could land one, I taught him everything I know! …But she lives out of town. I'm just wondering why he never told any of us he had a girl back home!"

Chidori shrugged. "Maybe she's not a girlfriend at all. Maybe she's really just a close relative, or an old friend." She continued to sketch. "Besides, I think he might already have a relationship with Yukari-san. They seemed to have grown close since production began."

"Yuka-tan? …geez, Mako-man really stepped up his A-Game…" he shook his head. "But, he's never really talked about his family, or old friends… and from the way he was talking to this chick, she sounded really important to him. Why hasn't he brought her up, yet?"

"Maybe it's never crossed his mind. With so many friends here, as well as so much to work on between school and rehearsal, he probably never considered it. …I wouldn't confront him about it, though."

Junpei looked at her- he was actually considering asking Makoto about this 'mystery girl'. "You wouldn't? Why?"

"Because it's none of my business. Plus, if Makoto found out you were spying on him, let alone bringing up a personal subject behind his back, it could put a strain on your friendship. I'm sure he'll bring it up in time- right now, there's a lot for all of you to focus on."

"What if I took a subtle approach? You know, get him talking about it without him realizing I overheard him?"

Chidori chuckled. "You're anything but subtle, Junpei."

Junpei stood up, giving her a look. "Hey, I'm good at keeping a low-profile…!" he turned to walk out-

*Clang!*

"OW!"

…bumping his knee on a metal stool in his path.

Chidori chuckled. "Yeah. Real smooth."

Junpei scowled. "...that has nothing to do with being subtle."

"I'm telling you, don't bring it up. Wait for him to say something,"

"*Sigh* Fine… But if he hasn't said anything by Christmas, I'm investigating!"

Chidori rolled her eyes. "Alright, he's _your_ best-friend."

It was too bad Junpei would forget about the matter before Christmas.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*January*_

Koromaru walked around the dorm, sniffing. It was late at night, and everyone was asleep. It was a routine for the Sheba Inu to patrol the Dorm, having developed such an attachment to the teenagers of the game that he deemed himself their official watchdog.

Normally he would just walk up and down the stairs, pausing to listen for any sounds of a disturbance, before returning to the lounge to sleep.

But when he sensed trouble, he would keep searching until he found the source of the problem and resolved it.

This was the case around 2 AM one night. Everyone had finished another scene, feeling exhausted as, since they were nearing the finale, there was a lot to work on- some scenes had to be done-over due to edits, lines had to be rehearsed to perfection, and the teens had to enhance their fighting-skills for when the time came for the final Boss scene with Nyx.

Yet someone seemed to be awake, still. A light was on in the room at the end of the hall on the second floor. Curious, Koromaru walked over; he sensed a bit of distress.

 _"_ _No- this has gone too far… I never should have left you behind! …We're almost done with production. We're going to get February off, I'll come back then. …No, I'm not- what? …Really? But how? …When will you be here? …April? A-Are you sure you want to wait that long? I'm on pretty good terms with the producers, I could see if- huh? …*sigh* I don't want you staying there any longer, Yuki. I-It's a miracle you managed to last this long…"_

Koromaru whimpered. Makoto sounded really upset. He scratched on the door, wanting to go in.

 _"_ _H-hold on, sis… Koromaru's at the door. …Yeah, but he's a SMART dog- if I don't answer, he's going to carry on and wake up everyone. Of course, if you want me to tell everyone about you… I won't bring it up! I… I just really want to tell everyone about you, then you can meet them all when you come to Gekkoukan High. They'd be pissed if I didn't mention anything sooner… Okay, okay, we'll make it a surprise."_

Koromaru scratched the door again. The door opened, and Makoto let him inside the room, still talking on the cell-phone.

"…Okay, sis. But this is the last time I'm telling you this- if either of them do anything, I'm coming and getting you myself. …Ha, you'd sing a different tune if I had Shinji and Mitsuru-senpai with me. …Ha ha, yeah right. …Love you too, night."

"Woof?" Koromaru yipped inquisitively, his head cocked to the side.

Makoto sat down on the bed, sighing. He then looked at the Sheba Inu, the pooch staring right at him- which was his way of getting answers… or table scraps. No one could resist the combat-canine's gaze of cuteness. Not even Shinji.

The protagonist looked around. It was after 2 in the morning; no one else was up, and he had been keeping his voice low enough so that no one (except the dog) could hear. He also wanted to get it off his chest, without breaking his promise to his sister- so talking to Koromaru was an ideal solution. The dog was a great listener, too.

"Promise to keep it between us?" Makoto asked Koromaru- he learned quick that the dog preferred to be spoken to as if he were another human, rather than hearing that cutesy 'baby talk' most people used on their pets.

"Arf," Koromaru responded, nodding his head.

Makoto took in a deep breath, letting it out as he sat on the bed. "I have a sister back in my old hometown. I've been calling her every week to tell her what's been going on, how I'm doing, and about all of you- but I also check up on her. You see… our parents are abusive. T-They don't beat us up ALL the time- just when they're really pissed about something, otherwise they just ignore us. …Yuki- my sister- came with me to audition for the game, so we could both transfer to Gekkoukan High and live at the Dorm. I was the only one who got the pass, and she insisted I take the chance- I told her that if anything happens, she can just say the word and I'd find a way to get her out of there, myself.

"She didn't want me to tell anyone about it- the cops never believed us whenever we reported the abuse, because our mom always made up some bullshit alibi. I guess she also didn't want any sympathy from others, either- she's pretty independent and strong, and she knows how to take care of herself; sometimes she'll stay with a friend just so she doesn't have to be at home. …She managed to save up enough money to transfer to Gekkoukan High in April- she's been working double-shifts and doing extra work. …I just wish she'd let me help. I mean, we get paid pretty good, right? I could have sent her the money so she could leave sooner!

"But… she didn't want to hold me back. She wanted to make it here on her own. I guess she was just tired of me always standing up for her- I always defended her when we were growing up… I ended up taking most of the hits and the trash-talk, just so she'd be spared. …I just think she's being stubborn, there's no reason for her to put up with our parents this long!"

Koromaru whimpered, resting his head on Makoto's lap. He wished he could protect Makoto's sister, too. If she didn't live so far away, he would run to their old house and guard her from their cruel parents.

Makoto rubbed his head. "…don't worry. Yuki is pretty strong- she doesn't want anyone to worry about her. …And look on the bright side, you'll be meeting her in April!"

The Sheba Inu's tail wagged. "Yip, yip!"

Makoto shushed him. "Remember, this is our little secret, okay? Don't tell anyone- it's going to be a surprise,"

"Woof," With a nod, Koromaru exited the room.

He made a plan in his mind- the day he'd meet Yuki, he would run up and lick her face as a way to show her comfort and a promise of protection.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*February*_

It was the slowest month of the year- namely because the cast didn't have to return to the set until March, and were having a heck of a time getting used to a 'regular school' life.

It was lunch-time now; Mitsuru was in the Student Council room catching up on a few projects, while Akihiko went to have Hagakure with Shinji (who was skipping classes, per the norm). Fuuka, Yukari, Natsuki, Aigis, Yuko, and Chidori were sitting at the same table, talking about how they couldn't believe the production was almost over, and how much they were going to miss hanging out on the set.

"It feels so weird coming to school without having to worry about being caught on-camera," Fuuka stated, eating a rice-ball she had made in cooking-class; she grimaced a bit, finding it still had a bland-yet-sour taste- she would have to work on the recipe later.

"I find it to be a relief." Natsuki scoffed, eating some teriyaki she brought from home. "Now I know how celebrities feel about the paparazzi,"

"I know… I hope we won't have to deal with that," Yukari added, eating a sandwich. "But still… I'm going to miss it. I wonder if everyone will be allowed to keep attending Gekkoukan High after the production, though."

"I never thought of that…" Aigis considered, looking down at her food-tray, poking at some green gelatin. "I was hoping the studio would help fund the school's tuition, until we all graduated. …I don't want to return to Yukeshima so soon."

"Yeah… My folks had to transfer to a cheaper part of town- the only reason I was allowed to come back to finish this year was because I made enough money to pay for the final semester," Natsuki sighed.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Chidori replied, sipping a soda. She seemed the least concerned about the post-production.

"Oh yeah? Why not? You got in because of an art-scholarship and high grades… but your boyfriend only got in because he became a main-character. What are you going to do when Junpei has to go back to a regular school?"

"Natsuki-chan…!" Fuuka scolded in a whisper; she hated it when her friend tried to irk someone.

Chidori remained nonchalant to her remark, however. "He won't have to. He'll be attending Gekkoukan High again. …Everyone will, even our senpais."

"Huh?! W-What do you mean, Chidori?" Yukari asked, confused.

"I overheard Akitaya talking with the producers. …They plan on making a portable-version of the game. For that, they'll want all of us back on the set. The seniors won't have to attend school regularly since they're already graduating, they'll just be reenacting the scene,"

"But… why all the reenactment? Can't they just transfer all the data they've gained to the portable's cartridge?" Aigis questioned.

"I don't think so. …Especially since they want to add in a few changes."

"What kind of changes?" Fuuka asked.

"Yeah, Chi-san, fill us in!" Natsuki prodded.

*Riiiing!* went the bell, signaling the end of the lunch period.

"I'll tell you later," Chidori said, heading out.

Yukari shook her head. "She always has to act mysterious, doesn't she?" she commented.

"I wonder how she found out…" Fuuka stated as they walked down the hall.

"Maybe it's just a rumor- or she was just making it up," Natsuki scoffed.

Aigis rubbed her chin. "Perhaps we should ask Akitaya about it, later," she said. The girls agreed, and went off to their classrooms.

"…yeah, I'll call you next week. Bye," came a rushed voice, as Yukari saw Makoto walking down the stairs (from the roof, she could guess as he had his cell-phone). He pocketed his phone, barely avoiding missing her. "Oh, excuse me, Yukari."

Yukari walked beside him, giving him a look. This wasn't the first time she noticed him making a personal phone-call… and she was starting to get suspicious. "Who were you talking to?" she asked, keeping her tone more curious than wary.

"…Just a friend from my old hometown."

"I see. …You know, you never told me about your old hometown or any of your old friends. Why don't you tell me about this friend you've been calling?"

"Um… some other time. We have to get to class,"

"Okay- how about if we meet up after school, then?"

"I have Art Club, sorry."

"Tomorrow?"

"Meeting Akinari- look, I don't want to be late, Yukari. Let's go!" With that, Makoto hurried down the hall.

Yukari crossed her arms. Something was definitely up. She looked over, seeing Aigis was walking behind them, though quickly looked away. "Do YOU know anything about it, Aigis?" she asked- always being one to press for answers.

"I have seen him on the phone a lot… but it's none of our business, Yukari. If it were anything important, I'm sure Makoto would tell us." Aigis said.

"Yeah… unless it's another girl…" Yukari rubbed her arm. She had grown to like Makoto a bit since production started. If he secretly had another girlfriend…

"You think that's the case…?" Aigis asked; she was also unnerved by this, mainly because she felt close to Makoto as well. She shook her head. "M-Maybe we're overanalyzing this. For all we know, he could have been talking to more than one friend, or maybe a relative!"

"Still…" Yukari sighed. "I'll ask him about it when he's less stressed out. He's probably trying to catch up with a lot of schoolwork,"

Aigis nodded. She wanted to mention she tried talking to Makoto about it before while everyone had free-time, only to get the cold shoulder.

She took her seat in class, looking over at Makoto, who seemed to keep his eyes focused on his textbook. She looked at her own, wondering who her friend talked to every week that made him rack his nerves.

 _He'll tell us in time. I'm sure of it._ Aigis assured herself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After school, Junpei, Akihiko, Ken, and Shinjiro were hanging out around the Naganaki Shrine, watching as Koromaru ran around. Apparently, the talk of a portable-release had spread like wildfire amongst the cast. "Man, can you believe it? We get to spend another year, here!" Junpei exclaimed.

"I know! I wonder what kind of changes they were talking about though. There's been a lot of gossip about it," Ken stated. "I heard we're going to be 'social-links' now. …I wonder why we weren't before?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Shinji scoffed, leaning against the jungle-gym. "They're going to include a new character-option… where the players can choose to be either Makoto's character- or a girl."

"Seriously?" Junpei exclaimed, then gave a grin. "So… I take it they'll have the option of dating one of US, right?"

"Not all of us- you won't be an option," Akihiko said.

"W-What?! Why not?!"

"Because you'll already have Chidori, dumbass. …I doubt your girlfriend would let you get away with cozying up to another woman, anyway." Shinji sneered.

"…oh, right. Ha ha, well I guess I'll have to be the heart-breaker for her, then."

"I just realized something. In the game, Ryoji's Shadow-character was sealed within Makoto's character, and afterwards Ryoji came to life." Ken stated, pondering aloud. "…does that mean that, if there's going to be a female protagonist, Ryoji's character will have to become a girl, too?"

"Pffftttt!" Junpei stifled a snicker, tipping over and leaning against a bench, trying not to keel-over in a fit of laughter. "Ha ha ah ha ha! Oh man…! I'm going to tell him you said that!"

"Calm down before you pop a lung," Akihiko chuckled.

Shinji only rolled his eyes. "You guys can keep cracking jokes. I'm heading back to the Dorm," he muttered, walking off.

"Arf, arf!" Koromaru barked, following him.

Junpei ceased his laughter, shaking his head. He patted Ken on the back. "You should tell that idea to Akitaya- that would be hilarious to see!" he said, holding back a chuckle.

"What's so funny about it? All I asked was if Ryoji's character would be a girl," Ken stated. Junpei chuckled again, and the youngest cast-member realized he worded that wrong. "…Wait! I mean, if he was going to be replaced by a girl, not become one!"

"…I think he'd drop out of the production if THAT were the case," Akihiko chuckled.

"Man… I can't wait to start the portable-scenes, now!" Junpei laughed. He then gave a jolt."Oh, shit- I forgot I was going to meet him at the manga-shop! See you dudes later!" he then took off.

Akihiko shrugged, and he, Ken, and Koromaru headed back to the Dorm. Up ahead, they saw Makoto walking out of the building, on his cell-phone. The boxing-champion paused, realizing there was a pattern. "Have you ever notice that Makoto always seems to go off in private, every week?" he whispered.

"Yeah… Pharos told me he was talking to a girl from his old hometown, once." Ken replied quietly. "I wonder who he keeps calling…"

"…For the last time, Kenji, I'm not being your wingman. …Because Elizabeth wouldn't be interested in dating a teenager!" Makoto was saying on his cell-phone. He sighed in irritation. "That wasn't a 'date'- the 'request' involved me showing her around the mall, nothing else! …I still don't think she'd go for you. …Look, I'm just being honest. …*sigh* Fine, you can try- but if you get slapped, don't say I didn't tell you. …You're more like Junpei than you realize. …Yes you are. …Oh, I have a whole list on how! One, you both are flirting with women. Two, you both lay on a lot of charm. Three…"

Akihiko rolled his eyes. "Never mind. I think we've been thinking about it too much," he stated with a chuckle.

"Woof," Koromaru responded, in a way that it would sound like, 'Sure, that's it!' in order to hide something.

Ken shrugged. "Oh well. It's his phone-call. If it were something important, I bet he'd tell us," he replied.

Koromaru held back a whimper. How he wished he could tell his friends how wrong they were…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _*March*_

The day had come at last for the cast to begin the final scene.

They had spent the last week of February rehearsing it. It was difficult, as many of the teens felt emotional. During one rehearsal, Fuuka ended up crying, having to take five in order to calm down.

Hugs were exchanged, and several of the teens took pictures with one another- they had been doing so throughout the production. This time, they took one more photo- all the social-link characters, villain-leads, and main-characters standing in front of the school for one more group-portrait.

Once the take-cares had been exchanged, phone-numbers and emails swapped so everyone could keep in-touch until the next time, and everyone was able to say their lines without tears in their eyes (unless they were required), the camera-crews moved into the school's auditorium for Mitsuru's graduation speech, while another camera was set up on the roof for Makoto and Aigis' final scene.

Makoto lied on Aigis' lap… though he seemed a bit tense. Outside of feeling emotional about the final day on the set, something in the back of his mind was bothering him.

He had called his sister that morning, but received no answer. He left her a voice-mail, telling her to call back tonight… but he was worried. Over the past 44 weeks since he left, she had never- even once- missed one of his calls.

Aigis looked down at him, noticing he was tense. "Makoto… is something wrong?" she asked in a whisper, as their scene was going to start in under two minutes.

Makoto looked up at her. "I-I'm fine. Just spacing out…" he replied, giving her a reassuring smile.

He and Aigis had grown close since the production started. In a way, she reminded him of Yuki- though she seemed to look out for him, instead of vice-versa. Perhaps that's why they seemed to have bonded so well.

He really wished he could tell her- tell all his new friends- about his twin sister…

"Alright, time to wrap it up!" Akitaya exclaimed, then walked over to Aigis and Makoto. "Remember, you two- pretend this is really happening. I want raw emotions!"

"Yes, Akitaya-san." Aigis said with a nod, already wincing. She really didn't want to end the production so soon, already missing everyone.

Akitaya walked over to his chair. "Alright, cell-phones off people! Final scene, take one! ACTION!"

Aigis recited her lines, while Makoto lied there (being a 'blank slate' protagonist, he only had to do actions more than say lines); he only had to move to wipe tears away from her eyes, which made her giggle. The moment felt so real.

Then came the moment that would have every single player's heart aching- the moment he had to close his eyes, while the others came running up to the rooftop. Slowly, he shut his eyes…

 _*Pipipipipi! Pipipipipi! Pipipipipi!*_

"CUT! Who left their cell-phone on?!" Akitaya shouted.

Makoto gasped, sitting up. He took out his cell-phone. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, while looking at the number. …A number he had listed in his phone ages ago, and he felt his heart stop. "Shit…" He then stood up and walked off.

"M-Makoto… we're in the middle of a scene!" Yukari called to him.

"I'm sorry- it's important!" After that, he ignored everyone, answering the phone. "...Yes? …W-What happened?!"

Everyone looked over at the protagonist as he stood still, listening to whoever was on the other line, very carefully. His eyes widened in shock and despair, a hint of anger in the mix. His eyes seemed to be misty, and he made a fist, which began to shake.

"Who is it…?" Fuuka asked Aigis, both of them recalling the incident back in Yukeshima.

"I don't like the looks of this…" Akihiko whispered, noticing his friend's distress.

Mitsuru tensed, having a feeling it was 'that' kind of phone call- the one she had told Makoto to inform her about. She noticed Yukari was tense as well. "Takeba… do you know who it is?" she asked in a whisper.

"I wish I did, Senpai…" Yukari replied, wishing she had been more assertive in getting answers from Makoto.

"…Y-yes, I'll be there as soon as I can! …Please do whatever you can to save her- I'll pay for the surgery and everything! …T-Thank you…" Makoto finished, holding in a choked sob. He hung up the phone… then slammed his fist on the side of the wall. "FUCK!"

"Makoto! What the hell is going on? Who WAS that?!" Akitaya demanded, more concerned about the protagonist than he was irritated that the scene had been interrupted.

"It was a nurse at the… the hospital in my old hometown. I-I'm sorry, Akitaya, but I have to go back home, immediately! It's an emergency!" Makoto rushed towards the stairs.

However, Mitsuru stepped in his way. "Not so fast. What's the emergency?" she demanded.

"Yeah, buddy, what happened?" Junpei asked. "Fill us in, already!"

"I… I can't tell you- there's no time, I have to hurry!" Makoto stammered, tears streaking down his eyes.

Everyone exchanged panicked glances. They had never seen Makoto so upset- especially for someone who could hide his emotions so well!

"Then… we will go with you." Aigis stated. "You can tell us everything on the way there,"

Makoto looked at his friends, his heart pounding. He didn't want to break his promise… but at the same time, he didn't want to hide anything from his friends, either. He looked over at the director, who gave a nod. "We'll all go," he stated, turning to the crew. "Postpone the scene, guys- save what we've gained so far, and we'll continue from here when we get back!"

The protagonist sniffled, then continued on- all his friends following.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Everyone got on the train that afternoon, heading to Makoto's old hometown. It was a four-hour trip, and the protagonist remained quiet, staring out the window. Aigis sat by him in support; Koromaru- as if sensing there had been something wrong the whole day- managed to meet them at the station, and was sitting on the other side of him.

He wasn't the only one who met everyone at the station. Shinji, Chidori, Ryoji, Pharos, and Ken heard about Makoto's breakdown, and got on the train as well. Takaya, Jin, and all of the Social-Link characters wanted to come too, but the train was already getting full, and a few of them didn't have enough money for tickets. They only gave their condolences, promising they would be waiting and praying for their friend.

The others were in another state-room; they decided not to press their friend for answers, until he had calmed down. "…okay. Has Makoto told ANY of you about someone in his hometown?" Junpei asked. Being the main-character's best-friend, he was a bit unnerved about being kept in the dark- especially when the subject caused Makoto such distress.

"Arf," Koromaru spoke up first… though unless someone could speak dog, his statement was ignored.

"I recall him talking on his cell-phone to someone, often." Pharos replied next, thinking back. "Sometimes he would be happy- joking and laughing with her… but one time I saw him concerned like something happened, but he claimed he was only stressed because of exams."

"Didn't you once bring up overhearing a conversation of his, Junpei?" Chidori recalled.

"Yeah… I must have forgotten…" Junpei muttered, hanging his head low.

Aigis and Fuuka exchanged glances, then the shy-girl cleared her throat. "Aigis and I remember hearing him talking to someone, too, back in Yukeshima- but it sounded personal, so we didn't bring it up either." She admitted.

"I knew he was talking to someone… I kept asking him who it could be, but he kept telling me he had stuff to do and ignored the subject," Yukari replied, wincing. "I wanted to press for answers, but I didn't want him to get mad at me for being so nosy,"

"…That's never stopped you before," Shinji commented, earning a glare from Yukari.

"Hey… that would explain why he would be late for rehearsal, some days!" Ken brought up. "Like he did back in October- he said he was talking to someone and lost track of time!"

"I recall him walking off after rehearsal, claiming he had to make a call," Akihiko added, considering this.

"But why the hell didn't he tell us anything?!" Junpei demanded, pissed-off that his best-friend was hiding something like this big from him."Who's in the hospital that's so important, and why didn't Makoto ever bring her up?!"

"I have a theory," Ryoji said, leaning back. "It's probably a girlfriend of his."

"A-A girlfriend?!" Yukari repeated, a bit stunned. "No way… H-He couldn't have a girlfriend! …Could he?"

"That wouldn't make any sense- why would he keep her secret?" Ken scoffed.

"Because he wanted to keep the relationship a secret- so secret, that he couldn't even tell his closest friends about the relationship." Ryoji theorized. "I've seen it before. Maybe this girl is in a lower social-class, and for the sake of nobility Makoto can't risk his parents finding out. ...Or, maybe she's a different age- younger or older enough that Makoto would get in major trouble if people found out! …Something along those lines,"

"I think he'd still tell us, Ryoji." Akihiko scoffed. "It has to be something more important…"

Junpei then stood up. "Well, I'm not going to sit around guessing. I'm getting answers!" he snapped, storming out of the stateroom.

"Hey, wait-!" Yukari called, but he was already rushing to Makoto's stateroom. She stood up, running after him before he could do anything to make the protagonist feel worse.

Makoto was still sitting quietly with Aigis and Koromaru, when Junpei charged in. "Junpei-san?" Aigis gasped.

Junpei took the vacant seat across from Makoto, locking eye-contact with him. "Who's in the hospital?" he asked, trying his best to keep his tone even, though it proved difficult. "And why didn't you tell us about her before?!"

"Junpei!" Yukari scolded, entering next before Makoto could respond. "Geez, can't you calm down before you confront someone?!"

"How can I stay calm?! How can ANY of you be calm?! This is fucking serious, Yukari-!"

"Which is why you need to chill out and think, first!"

"About WHAT?! Why my best friend has been hiding something from me- from ALL OF US- for the past year?!" he looked back at Makoto- at this point, Aigis was holding his hand tight, and Koromaru was growling softly as if scolding the class-clown. "Who is she?!"

The protagonist was quiet; his eyes were still misty. He opened his mouth, only to close it again, as if trying to figure out how to explain everything.

By this point, the others came over, standing in the doorway, though staying quiet. Aigis looked over at them, giving them a 'What should we do?!' type of look.

Koromaru looked up at Makoto. The protagonist looked down at the dog, remembering the secret confession he had with the dog some time ago.

Sighing, he looked at Junpei, who was still waiting for an answer, a stern look on his face.

"She's my sister, Yuki." Makoto finally confessed.

"Wow, I was WAY off!" Ryoji commented. Shinji elbowed him in the ribs to shut up. "Oof!"

The protagonist continued. "…Twin-sister, to be exact. We were really close growing up- namely because our parents barely took care of us." He told them the same story he had recited to Koromaru.

This time, he included details of the past year. Yuki managed to do well on her own- mostly just avoiding interaction with their parents altogether, getting a part-time job in order to save up money, working at a summer-camp, as well as working on increasing her academics- whatever she could to attend Gekkoukan High in their senior year.

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to avoid abuse all the time. Their mother would smack her across the face, claiming she was a disappointment, wishing she had left with Makoto so both parents wouldn't have to deal with such a burden; their father would snap at her for not doing enough housework, claiming she was an embarrassment to have as a daughter. She was lucky she only had to deal with this sort of thing every few weeks, Makoto commented.

But things got worse. It turned out their mother had become pregnant with another child, but suffered a miscarriage. Despite she never wanted any more kids, she felt depressed- the doctor's claimed it was a natural response. She wouldn't let her husband touch her…

…so he went after Yuki. At first the twin-sister believed that the tragedy made the man think twice about how he was treating his children and that he should cherish them, as he started acting kind to her and wanting to spend more time with her. It wasn't until he tried to molest her that Yuki realized what his true intentions were- their mother managed to stop him, threatening him with a knife… but not to defend her child. "The last thing we need is some pregnant teenager to deal with! If you're so damned horny, go find a hooker!" she had snarled, then kicked him out of the house for a week.

When he came back, he went back to smacking Yuki, claiming it was her fault their mother was so miserable. She started pulling double-shifts at work just so she wouldn't be at home so much.

Despite all this, Yuki held strong, assuring her brother she could handle herself, and sharing good news that she would soon be moving into the Dorm in April. Afterwards, she kept sharing good news with Makoto, throughout the month of February, growing more and more excited with each passing day, counting down until she saw him and met his friends…

That was last week.

This week, the hospital called.

Apparently, Yuki got into a fight with her mother, ending up pushed down the stairs and hitting her head. They lived out in the country, so no one heard the disturbance…

Thankfully, one of Yuki's teachers had come by, wishing to speak with her parents as they didn't show up for a parent-teacher conference, based on Yuki's transfer (as she never told them about it). When she saw her student lying unconscious at the bottom of the steps, she immediately called 911.

Police arrived with an ambulance. This time, the parents were taken in for questioning.

At the moment, Yuki was in the hospital, showing signs of a concussion, sprained arm, and a broken ribcage.

Makoto was crying by this point. "…I'm such an idiot…" he whispered, sobbing. "I wanted to tell you guys… but Yuki wouldn't let me… she didn't want to feel like she needed rescuing…"

"That's still a bad excuse, Arisato." Mitsuru stated, firmly. "In cases like these, when a victim claims they'll be alright, it's actually a cry for help. She was probably hoping you would tell us! We could have helped!"

"How?!" Makoto snapped- and no one had ever heard him raise his voice… especially to Mitsuru! "How would telling anyone help?! We went to the fucking police, but they didn't do shit! We told friends, we told teachers… but they kept telling us to go to the police or run away. We were on our own! We had no one to rely on except each other! …That's why I joined Persona 3- not just to get out, but also so I could make enough money so my sister and I could start a new life, away from them. I didn't… I didn't say anything because… in the back of my mind… I didn't think it would help,"

A hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked up at Akihiko. "WE would have helped. We would've found a way to bring Yuki here," Akihiko told him. "If my sister were in that position… you can bet your ass I would be rounding up everyone to bring her with me!"

"Yeah, Makoto… I mean, you've known us all for a year! You should've known we'd figure something out!" Yukari added.

Makoto wiped his eyes. "I know… I'm sorry… I just kept thinking about Yuki- she was so stubborn, wanting to make it on her own… She didn't want help from me at all- she kept saying it would just hold me back, and told me to stop worrying… but I couldn't- and at the same time, I didn't want to break the promise I made to her… we never broke each other's promises…" he put his face in his hands. "…I'm such a dumbass…"

"Yeah. You are." Junpei put, bluntly. "Dude, you could've just told us you had a sister back home- maybe we could've found a way for her to come visit, just to give her a break! Hell, Akitaya would've found a role for her once he learned she was your twin-sister!"

"More importantly- you should've told us you had a sister, PERIOD!" Ryoji exclaimed. "Seriously! I know the abuse is a major subject, and I'd be happy to kill the bastards for hurting both of you- but I can't get over the fact that you didn't tell us YOU HAD A SISTER! …Wait, you two don't _look alike_ , do you?"

"Shut up, already!" Shinji snapped, smacking Ryoji upside the head- really hard, as the teen seemed to have swirls in his eyes.

Makoto sighed, hanging his head low. "I should've known something like this would happen…" he muttered, clenching his fists. "I should have gone back for her after the first month! ..now she's in the hospital."

"Well… you've learned your lesson, haven't you?" Pharos stated, walking over to Makoto. "I can understand Yuki's situation- I would want to be strong too, if my brother was always looking out for me, and would want him to have a good life and not worry about me. …but at the same time, I would also want him with me during tough times, and to keep telling people that something was wrong. I think your problem was, because so many people failed to help you, you lost hope in help from others- even from the closest of friends."

Makoto looked at him, then at the ground. The kid was wise for someone so young…

"But, it's okay now. We're all here for you, and we're going to make sure your sister comes home with us, once she gets better." Pharos gave him a smile. "I can't wait to meet her."

"M-Me too. Maybe we can buy her some presents once we arrive, to help her feel better!" Ken added.

"Yeah, Makoto- tell us more about her!" Fuuka added.

"It's better late than never," Mitsuru agreed.

Makoto sighed, but nodded. "Okay… Well, she's a little like- actually, a LOT like me. She likes to read a lot of manga, play videogames, and she signed up for the Track Team. She works part-time at a bookstore, and started moonlighting as a waitress at our favorite café. She loves to crack jokes too- she kept making remarks, calling me a 'ladies man' after I told her about meeting Mitsuru, Yukari, Fuuka, and Aigis… I told her all about you guys. She said she didn't want me telling you all about her, because she just wanted to surprise everyone and see a reaction- she's funny like that."

As Makoto went on, Junpei stood up, making more room so the others could come in. He stepped out into the hall after a few minutes, looking out the window.

Chidori followed, noticing he still had an irritated look on his face. "…You're still mad at him, aren't you?" she guessed.

"Of course I am! Who would hide something like this- especially when their sister is suffering?!" Junpei groused, clenching his fist. The Gothic-Lolita character rested a hand on his arm, which helped him to calm down. "…I just wish he trusted us more to tell us…"

"You have to understand his situation, though. Being abused by those who are supposed to love you, no one offering a hand to help, having to live independently since childhood… I think he's still learning to trust anyone." She looked out the window, seeing their reflections mixing in with a mountain-range. "That is one thing that is fragile in this world. When someone's trust is broken, it is hard to mend…"

"But he could trust us! We could have helped…"

She looked up at him. "You're all helping now. …A year, though it seems long, still goes by too fast for one broken-spirit to heal; but with friends like us- like you- I believe he has started to heal. …I think he's always trust you- only sharing a little of it at a time, in fear of being hurt again. In time, he will be able to rely on others, more than himself."

"Yeah… dammit, I should've asked him about that call, though!"

"You're not the only one who made that mistake…" came a voice, and they looked over and saw Aigis walking out. "When I first heard him talking to Yuki… something in my heart told me something was wrong, even though I barely knew him at the time. But he was so intent on keeping it a secret that Fuuka and I respected his privacy. …I tried again in October, but I didn't want to upset him, so I left it alone…"

"…I guess we all should have said something," Chidori realized. "No one ever asked him about his hometown, or about his family- we all pretty much bonded so well that nothing of the sort crossed our minds,"

"Yeah, well… I'm not making THAT mistake again. Next time I get the feeling ANY of my friends are hiding something, I'm going to find out what it is!" Junpei stated, then grinned. "…Besides, we're all friends- there should be no secrets between any of us!"

"Quite right… So, Chidori, what did you think about the scene we had at the hot-springs?" Aigis asked, changing the subject.

Chidori arched an eyebrow. "WHAT hot-springs scene?" she asked, while giving Junpei a look.

"U-Um, it's nothing! It was just a gag-scene Akitaya came up with…!" Junpei stammered, blushing; he turned to Aigis, lowering his voice to a whisper. "(I wasn't going to tell her about that part, Aigis!)"

"I thought you didn't want anyone keeping secrets, anymore." Aigis replied, innocently.

"I mean if the secrets are something serious- humiliating ones are different!"

Chidori smirked, looking at Aigis and walking off with her. "Tell me all about it, Aigis…" she insisted.

"Okay. Well, we took a field-tip to Kyoto, and we had to do this scene where Akihiko, Makoto, Ryoji, and Junpei ended up staying in the hot-springs, until the women's session started-"

"AIGIS, SHUT UP!" Junpei begged/shouted.

"What happened?" Chidori pressed, grinning as she watched her boyfriend's face go from pink to crimson.

"Well, two things happened- either the boys managed to hide and avoid trouble, or they got caught and would end up facing Mitsuru's wrath… it depends on how the player does. We were all nervous about it at first, since we only had to wear towels, but the tension lightened up after Junpei accidentally lost his-"

"OKAY, AIGIS, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Junpei stammered, clapping his hands over Aigis' mouth; he looked at Chidori, his face completely red. "Ah, ha ha ha… S-She's just joking, Chi! I-I guess my ad-libbing lessons paid off, eh heh…"

"Huh. …Well, it would explain the picture Ryoji posted on his Myspace page. I always thought it was photoshopped," Chidori stated, slyly.

Junpei's eyes widened in horror. "What picture?!"

The train then came to a slow halt, as everyone walked out. "Never mind. It's not important," Chidori walked off with a smirk.

"Wait a minute…! Chidori!" Junpei followed after her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The group arrived at the hospital 20 minutes later… which was fortunate, as Ryoji needed to get his ribs and skull checked for fractures (courtesy of Shinji). Makoto asked which room Yuki was in, before a nurse showed him the way.

Everyone else waited in the hall, allowing the protagonist to visit his sister in private.

He felt his heart stop the moment he saw the condition she was in. Her head was bandaged as well as her ribcage, she had a large bruise on the side of her face, her lip was cut (having stitches) and her arm was in a sling. She had an IV tube attached to her good-arm, and was also on a respirator.

The quiet _*beep, beep, beep*_ of a heart-monitor was the only sound in the room.

"Yuki…" Makoto whispered, his eyes filling with tears once more. "I'm so sorry… I should have done something…" he sat down beside the bed, resting his head on his arms and sobbing beside her. "I knew you were strong… I thought you would be alright… but I knew something was wrong- and I didn't do a damn thing!"

Yukari watched from the doorway, wincing. She was about to walk in and comfort him, when she noticed Yuki shift.

"Ugh… my head…" The twin-sister groaned, waking up; her vision adjusted, and once she realized she was in a hospital, she began to panic. "W-What happened…?! Where am I?!"

"Y-Yuki!" Makoto gasped, lifting his head and looking at her.

"M…Makoto?! W-What are you doing here?! What's going on…?!"

 _*beepbeepbeepbeep!*_ the heart-monitor was picking up speed.

Makoto held his sister's [good] hand. "Shh, it's alright, sis… I'm here now. Mom… she pushed you down the stairs." He explained. "H-How do you feel? The doctors said you might have a concussion…"

"Well, I'm in incredible pain, if that tells you anything… W-Why are you crying?"

"I… I'm so ashamed…" Makoto sobbed again, pouring out his feelings- how he was worried about her but kept everything secret; how guilty he felt for holding it back from his friends; and how he blames himself for her condition. "…I should have done something. Everyone… we all could have done something! But now… it's too late, and you ended up here…"

Yuki watched as her brother sobbed, before reaching up and rubbing his head. "Hey. I'm still alive. Sure, my head hurts like crazy, but I'll pull through. …I know you feel at-fault, but don't blame yourself. I was the one who told you to keep your mouth shut- I just didn't want to feel like you had to take care of me all the time. You had to protect me for years- taking most if not all the beatings, not getting to hang out with friends because you always walked home with me, and pretty much acting like my guardian more than my brother…

"I didn't want you telling anyone, so they wouldn't pressure you into coming back to me. Yeah, there were times I wanted you here- but just talking to you, learning you were making it big and living your life… it motivated me to stay strong and work harder to get out of this place, too! 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger', right?"

"Still… everyone was upset that I never mentioned you…"

"Everyone has their own personal secrets, bro. But, they know now, so things will be okay…" she looked down at her blankets, guiltily. "But, you have a point… From all you've told me, I bet they could've helped out- maybe finally landed those bastards in prison." She sighed. "I let my pride do this to me… I wanted to save myself- saving up money, working hard, doing all I could… but it was all in vain."

"What do you mean? D-Don't you have enough money saved…?"

"Yeah… that's how I ended up being sent down the stairs." She clenched her fist, her expression pissed. "I caught Mom rooting through my room, stealing all the cash I had stashed away; she claimed I had no use for it, claiming a 'tramp like me' wouldn't make it in the real world anyway. …We got in a fight, and she sent me down the stairs. …Chances are, she and Dad are using the money to buy plane-tickets to skip town."

"That's horrible!" Yukari snapped, entering the room. "You have to tell this to the police! We can help you convince them!"

Yuki looked at Yukari, surprised… then noticed the others out in the hall. "Whoa, bro- you didn't tell me you brought the whole cast!" she looked at her brother. "…So, are you going to introduce me, or are you going to keep pretending to be an only-child?"

Makoto motioned the others to come in. "Everyone, this is my sister, Yuki Arisato," he said, then turned to his sister. "Yuki, this is Mitsuru, Akihiko, Shinjiro, Junpei, Ken, Pharos, Chidori, Aigis, Fuuka… and you'll meet Ryoji once the doctors are done examining his head,"

"Woof woof!" Koromaru barked, bounding into the room; he ran up to the bed and licked Yuki's face.

"…Oh, yeah- and Koromaru, our favorite dog."

"Aww, he's so cute!" Yuki stated, rubbing Koromaru behind the ear.

"We can help with your situation, Arisato." Mitsuru spoke up, walking over to Yuki. "We can hire a lawyer to testify against your parents in court, and have them sent away for their abuse."

"And you can come stay at the Dorm with us!" Yukari added. "I know you want to handle it yourself, Yuki… but I'm willing to pitch in and help pay for your transfer!"

"You guys don't have to do that… well, except getting our parents thrown in jail. That will be a favor for both Makoto and I," Yuki replied.

"Just come with us… no one will shut up unless you accept, anyway." Shinji scoffed.

Makoto looked at his sister. "Please come, Yuki… Iwotadai is a great place- and I've started a savings account so we can move into an apartment after we graduate!"

"Always looking out for me, aren't you?" Yuki rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Fine… but only if I haven't found a new job and a place of my own by then! A lot can happen in a year,"

"Great to hear! And I think you'll have enough money to do so before then," came a voice, as Director Akitaya walked in. "That is, if you're willing to accept our offer,"

"What offer?" Makoto asked.

"We're making a portable version of the game- this time, the players will have the option of choosing a female character… On the way, I figured we could ask Yuki if she would like to accept the role- if she's anything like you, she would fit perfectly."

"Are you kidding?! …I accept!" Yuki exclaimed. She gave her brother a nudge. "Mako-bro is always going on about how fun it is on the set… now I can finally see what he's talking about."

"Yeah, and you'll get to hang out with all of us!" Ken exclaimed.

"Maybe even date one of us…" Junpei said with a smirk- until Chidori yanked him by the ear. "AH! Except me! Except me!"

"So, it's decided- Yuki will be coming back with us, and we'll start working on the portable-game scenes in April." Akitaya said. "That should give you enough time to settle in,"

There came a sound of rushed footsteps, and Ryoji stumbled into the room. "Did I hear right?! Yuki is coming with us- WOW!" he exclaimed (and everyone noticed the small bandage on his hand). His eyes widened when he looked at Yuki. "You look… SO unlike your brother! Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No," Yuki replied with a chuckle.

Ryoji moved closer. "…Would you like one?"

"Down boy," Junpei joked, tugging Ryoji back by the scarf.

Makoto rolled his eyes. "Yeah… with HIM around, I'll probably be watching out for you a LOT more," he commented, making his sister laugh.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once visiting hours were over, everyone had to leave; Makoto wished his sister well, promising to visit her often until she was ready to check out. Akitaya also advised they could go to their old house and pack up her things to move into the Dorm immediately, as well as inform her teachers about her early transfer.

Makoto went with Shinjiro, Akihiko, and Junpei to help move her stuff. His parents weren't home- maybe the police finally caught on and they were already in jail. That's what he was hoping for, anyway.

Once Yuki's things were packed up and moved into a truck, he saw a car pull up. Out stepped his father, who looked around in shock and confusion, until he noticed his son standing there. "…Makoto." He said in greeting, awkwardly.

"Father." Makoto muttered. He approached him. "Where's mom?"

"…the courthouse. I assume you're here because of Yuki."

"That's right. …I'm taking her back to Iwatodai with me. She's going to live in the Dorm with all of us,"

"…I see."

"I told everyone about you and mom."

"So I've guessed… Yuki's teacher made a report. We're going to be on trial... I don't need to ask if you'll be testifying against us,"

"I will. And so will Yuki. …You both should have been sent to jail years ago," Makoto's fists clenched, though he managed to keep his tone and expression calm.

His father looked away. "I suppose it's too late to apologize. You're mother and I never wanted kids- it was too stressful for us,"

"…Then you should have just found us new parents. It's too late now… See you in court," With that, Makoto walked away with his friends, climbing into the car with them and driving away.

He looked out the back windshield, watching as his father- head-down- walked back into the house…

"Don't bother looking back," Shinji told him, sitting beside him. "There's nothing worth looking at,"

Makoto nodded, looking ahead.

As the car drove on, all he could think about were all the years of abuse, every day he was worried about his sister, how hard they both worked in order to escape…

Now, they were both free to start over.

He closed his eyes, resting in a way he never felt he would be able to. And he knew his sister would be able to do the same as well.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~Some Time Later~_

Makoto walked to the front of the school. He paused, overhearing a conversation by two girls.

"Did you hear? We've got a new student!" the first girl stated in excitement.

"Another one? …*gasp* You think Ryoji-kun transferred back?" the second guessed.

"No. This time it's a girl. …I heard she's related to one of the Persona 3 characters!"

"No. Way. …Hey! I heard they're going to be doing more scenes at school! You think we'll be included again?"

"I hope so! It would be cool if we got to be main-characters this time, instead of just 'gossiping girls',"

"Ugh, I know. …Why do you think they labeled us like that? It's not like we talk about everything!"

"Tell me about it!"

The first bell rang, and Makoto and the gossiping girls walked into the building. He entered the classroom…

Smiling when he saw Yuki standing in the front of the classroom, talking to some friends; her bruises had faded, she no longer wore bandages, and outside of a tiny scar on her lip (which was also began to fade) there were barely any signs of her abuse. She was talking to Yukari and a few other girls, telling them about herself.

She looked so happy. So calm. Laughing and smiling, knowing she could hang out with friends just for the sake of hanging out, not to hide from someone; there was peace in her eyes, as if she had been liberated from a dark prison.

Makoto knew the look well. He had it before when he first escaped… and felt greater peace, knowing his sister had made it, too.

He sat down in his seat as the teacher entered. "Everyone, we have a new student. (Go ahead and introduce yourself, dear)." The teacher stated.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Yuki Arisato," Yuki introduced with a small bow.

"I trust you'll be finishing your senior year with us, Yuki. I'm sure it will be quite memorable,"

"I know. …It will be the best year of my life," Yuki looked at Makoto as she said this, smiling.

Makoto smiled back.

Yuki didn't know how right she was.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Well, I hope this didn't suck TOO much XD

I'll be including Yuki in a few other chapters, too. It'll be fun having TWO blank-characters to write for!

Makoto: Yuki.

Yuki: Yeah, bro?

Makoto: …Run.

Yuki: Um…

Makoto: *ushering his sister out* No questions, just run. RUN! *both of them run off*

…my reputation precedes me XD

ALSO (should've mentioned this earlier) if any of you have any pairings you want to see, just say so! I'll ship any guy with any girl! …Except Junpei. Chidori won't let me.

Also no slash-pairings. …I promised the characters. (but I'll include fluffy chapters ;) mwuahahaha…)

Shinji: …What was that, WG?

Uh, NOTHING! 0_0

Anyway, please review don't flame and I have to avoid suspicion! Bye! *runs*


	8. Gekko's First Dance, PART ONE

Sorry I've been on hiatus for so long guys- life got difficult. But with some inspiration from **theIdiocracy** , I got a little something-something.

But just a heads up guys, I'm still on hiatus; I'm currently editing a book right now, and nearly done. I figure if I get it done (and have a greater chance of it being published!) I'll have a load off my mind and less stress, and find my muse again. So after this I'll be back on break.

Also, I realized I forgot to list the **Reviewer Thanks** in the last chapter! (please forgive me!) So here they all are!

 **PhoenixBlaire4869:** Second-wish granted- I ship that pairing too! :D I haven't played Persona 4 yet, or even watched any Let's Plays on it, so it may not happen (yet), though I may throw in some cameos ;)

 **Scoundrel Bones:** Oh my gosh. Where to start with all your reviews? I guess I should start with thank you for dedicating so much time to reading the chapters, as well as going into detail on what all you liked about the chapters! You even made points about parts I didn't really think too much about, like how everyone in "Secret Sister" made their own kind of mistake… I appreciate all you've had to say so far, and look forward to reading more of your reviews in the future :D

 **TheIdiocracy:** So glad you loved it! :D (Yeah, Ryoji is going to be a riot to write for, you can tell XD) and yes I have joined the ShinjixYuki ship! ^-^

 **NotAGuest:** The 'Hide and Seek' chapter seems to be the most popular so far; glad you and everyone else are enjoying the interactions. Hope I continue to not disappoint!

 **Mehh:** Thank you ^-^ And I will, after I play "The Answer" myself (I had to take a break from the game after so many feels)

Now, let's continue!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Setting:_ Post-game (portable)

 _Genre:_ Romance *pause* …okay, seriously guys, what's the genre? …What? …It really IS romance?! …ah dang…

 _Synopsis:_ A dance is coming up at Gekkoukan High, and everyone is out to get a date! …yes, it's one of THOSE stories… *face-palm* how low have I sunk?

 _Pairings:_ MakotoxYukari (saw that coming), AkihikoxMitsuru (that too), JunpeixChidori (duh), YukixShinji (because I can), FuukaxJin (okay that's new…), and RyojixAigis? (wait, WHAT?!)

 _Disclaimer:_ I do not own the rights to the game… and from the death-glares I'm receiving right now, I suppose that's a good thing… 0_0 *please don't hurt me, Aigis!*

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"A school dance? Hmm…" Mitsuru pondered, as she looked over a petition, where hundreds of students signed their names. "What brought this on?"

"Well… um… a few students were talking with some middle-class friends who, uh, brought up having a dance a c-couple of weeks ago…" Chihiro, the shy Treasurer of the Student Council, meekly replied. "And word got around that Gekkoukan High never held a school dance, before. So, um, everyone started a petition for us to hold one this Spring… i-if that's alright…"

"I find it preposterous," Hidetoshi, the Vice-President, scoffed as he crossed his arms. "School is a place for academics, not flirtatious socializing. Besides, holding a dance would cost us half our budget- we already spent a majority of it on a class-trip to Kyoto. If everyone wanted to waste their time hanging out and listening to loud music, they could do it at home,"

"…Are you always this pompous or were you programmed that way?" another student-council member sneered.

Hidetoshi rolled his eyes, then turned to the Arisato twins, Makoto and Yuki. "Arisato-san, what do you think of this?" he asked Makoto first.

Makoto shrugged. "We've got enough money in the budget," he stated.

"Yeah, Hidetoshi-senpai, Kyoto wasn't exactly an expensive trip. And we can keep it simple- have a DJ, the Art Club could make some decorations, and we can set things up in the gym." Yuki added. "We can also organize teams into lending a hand- so in a way we'll have most of the student-body taking part in an activity… and the busier they are preparing for the dance, the less time they would have to cause trouble."

"Plus, if we didn't hold a dance, there would be cause for anarchy," Makoto held up the petition. "The people have spoken,"

"But if we give in, they'll just keep asking for more!" Hidetoshi sneered, though began to ponder. "Then again, as Arisato-kun stated, it would be beneficial to have them work for it… Yes, perhaps if they know work will be involved, they'll change their minds!"

"Nevertheless, I believe it would be a good opportunity for the school to try something new," Mitsuru stated, giving a smile. "…Besides, I've never attended a school dance. This will be an interesting experience,"

"So… w-when should it be held, and where?" Chihiro asked.

"I propose one month from now. That will give us enough time to organize a few students for certain tasks- decorating, catering, music, et cetera- as well as time for the event to be advertised." Hidetoshi spoke up. "We will also need a few teachers to volunteer as chaperones- just because it's a dance doesn't mean any animalistic tendencies will be allowed; and we can hold it in the front of the school- that way no one can go sneaking around inside the building, and if the weather is decent it will serve for great atmosphere. …Now, any questions?"

"Yeah. Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?" the other male student-council member asked.

Hidetoshi gave him a glare. "And it's remarks like that that will land you in the Unemployment Line in the future!"

"Tch," The member was nonchalant.

"Watch it, freshman- you mess with the bull, you'll get the horns!"

"(Better adjourn the meeting before they start quoting _Animal House)"_ Makoto whispered to Mitsuru.

"(Agreed). …Alright, that's enough. We will organize everything next Monday." Mitsuru stated. "You may all adjourn,"

Makoto and Yuki walked out, stopping by their lockers. "So, who are you going to take, Casanova?" Yuki asked, giving her brother a teasing nudge with her elbow. "I heard you've grown quite popular with the girls,"

Makoto shrugged. "Not really, they just like me because I've been nice. …I'm thinking about taking Yukari- we're good friends, so it should be fun," he answered.

"You're going as _friends?_ …Geez, Mako-bro, and here I thought you were a real player!"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh like you haven't noticed! You two have been tight since we both signed on for Persona 3! You both have gone to the mall together, go out to the movies almost every weekend, study together… you're practically in a relationship!"

"Tch, I do that stuff with Junpei too, but you don't see us starting a relationship,"

Yuki mockingly clapped her hand over her brother's mouth. "Not so loud, bro; the slash-fans will hear you!"

Makoto rolled his eyes before pulling his sister's hand away. "Very funny. …Look, what I'm trying to say is just because Yukari-san and I hang out a lot, doesn't mean we should be in a relationship. We're just friends,"

"So you say… but does she still know that?"

Makoto paused. He never really asked Yukari where they stood in the relationship department…

He shook his head. "I'll talk to her about it before the dance." He stated, then decided to change the subject over to his sister. "What about you? Are you going to ask Shinji?"

This time, Yuki paused. She and Shinjiro had started going out a few weeks ago… though you couldn't tell unless you noticed every little detail. Yuki was more of a tomboy- not exactly into the whole 'flowers and chocolates' kind of romance, which was what Shinji liked about her. They didn't have to hold hands in public, watch romantic movies, go out to dinner, or do any of that cutesy-nickname crap a lot of couples did. They normally just went out to movies, hung out on the roof, or grabbed a bite to eat when the punk didn't feel like cooking. They kissed only once…

Taking all this into consideration, it was easy for Yuki to deduce that her boyfriend wasn't the type to attend a 'lame school dance'; she thought it would be fun, but she didn't want to drag him into something he wasn't interested in.

"Probably not. He hates that sort of thing," Yuki answered, then sighed. "Besides, chances are I'll be too tired to go anyway-I'm in the Art Club so I'll be helping make decorations; mix that in with the work I'll have to do with the Student Council, and I'll be in a coma until Summer Break!"

Makoto chuckled. "Yeah- with my luck, I'll probably be stuck with the catering. The only one who might be busier than us will be Ryoji,"

"Ryoji? What job will he have?"

"The hardest one yet- finding a date,"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once the news of Gekkoukan High having its first co-ed school dance was announced the next week, it was safe to say EVERYONE was asking out someone- even though the event was a month away, no one wanted to wait until the last minute to find dates… especially since most of the students had to be put to work to set up for it.

There were a few exceptions of course.

First one being Junpei- a lot of girls found it surprising that he wasn't asking any of them out, though his friends knew the reason why: he already had a date set up with his girlfriend, Chidori.

"Man, I can't believe it! I never thought Gekko-High would organize a school dance before I graduated!" Junpei exclaimed, as he was helping put up posters for the event.

"I guess they didn't want to wait THAT long," Yukari cracked, handing him a poster to tape to the wall.

Junpei gave her a look. "Ha ha, Yuka-tan, you come up with that yourself?" he taped the poster up, and they walked down the hall to post another by the Teacher's Lounge. "So, who are you taking?"

"I don't know… I was thinking about asking Makoto, since we're friends, but -"

*WWRIIIIIP!*

Junpei stretched the tape an arm-length too-far, out of shock. "W-What?! You two are still just FRIENDS?" he questioned, while trying to hold in a laugh.

"Well... yeah. Why?"

Junpei sighed, tipping the brim of his hat while shaking his head. "Oh, Yuka-tan, Yuka-tan, Yuka-tan… And here I thought you were more experienced in this field!"

 _Oh, great. Here we go…_ Yukari thought in distaste, unleashing an annoyed sigh. "Fine, I'll go along. What makes you think Makoto and I are in a relationship?"

"Seriously?! You take him shopping after school, you two have gone out for dinner a number of times, you see movies together… You guys are always hanging out, almost 24-7!"

She scoffed. "So are you and Ryoji, but I don't see you two making dating-arrangements,"

Junpei clapped his hand over her mouth, while looking up and down the halls. "Watch it, Yukari! The slash-fans will hear you!"

Yukari pushed him away. "Knock it off! …Look, Makoto and I are still just friends. There's nothing serious going on between us!"

Junpei gave her a look- not out of humor, but out of seriousness. "Yeah? Does HE know that?" he firmly questioned. Makoto was his best-friend after all; the idea of some girl- let alone a girl who was also a good friend of theirs- breaking his heart would not sit well with the class-clown.

"Yes! …At least… I figured he did…" Yukari considered this, rubbing her arm. She and Makoto did hang out quite a bit, and they were always open with each other- but she just saw him as a friend she could confide in, keeping their relationship platonic.

Had she sent him the wrong message, somehow?

She shook her head. "I'll talk to him about it later. …Right now, we've got to finish up here!" She walked down the hall with the posters. "C'mon,"

Junpei rolled his eyes. "'Just Friends'… yeah, tell that to the fan-base," he scoffed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

During lunch the next day, Ryoji was sitting with Kenji, Kazushi, Bebe, and Keisuke sat at the same table, talking about the dance. "Man, so many options! I don't know who I should take!" Kenji exclaimed. "Maybe I'll see if Elizabeth wants to attend… Or, wait, Miss Toriumi- oh, hold on, she signed on as a chaperone… I wonder if all the senior girls are taken?"

"Shouldn't you focus more on getting the work done, first?" Kazushi asked. "You're helping with the catering, after all."

"Who can focus on working when there's a criteria to be met? Finding a date for a school dance is more important than studying for mid-terms!"

"There's no point in asking out dates for a dance if there isn't going to BE a dance set up!"

"I'm already exhausted…" Keisuke groaned, his head lying down by his tray. "My whole club had to stay two hours after school yesterday to make 20 papier-mâché lanterns to hang up… and we need to make another 180 within the next three weeks, alongside streamers!"

"I am having zo much fun with it!" Bebe spoke up, waving his fan. "I adore ze décor your country comes up with! Ze designs are magnificent, and worth all ze work!"

"(speak for yourself, Frenchy)…"

"What was zat, Keisuke-kun?"

"Nothing, nothing…"

Bebe turned to the rest of the guys. "By ze way, I am planning on designing outfits for ze occasion. I figured I could contribute more to ze dance by creating custom dresses and tuxedos for everyone! …Would any of you like to make some requests? Free of charge!"

"Wait… the dance is going to be formal?!" Kenji repeated.

"But of course! It was Mitsuru-Senpai's idea,"

"Oh, shit- I can't afford a tux! Sign me up, Bebe- make mine black, like the James Bond style!"

"I'm going to skip the dance; I hate wearing tuxedos, they're too stiff and uncomfortable," Kaz scoffed.

"It's probably more comfortable than wearing those sweats all the time,"

Bebe pondered a bit. "What if I made a tuxedo from ze materials used for your uniform, Kazushi-san?" he suggested.

"Ha, if you pull that off, then I'll go!" Kazushi replied.

"Yata! I adore a challenge! …Ryoji-sama, how about you? …Ryoji-sama? Allo?"

Ryoji, who had been eyeing a few girls at a table for the last five minutes, snapped out of his gaze and looked at Bebe. "Huh? I'm sorry, what were we talking about?" he asked.

"The dance. …Speaking of which, who are YOU going to take, Ryoji- or are you trying to organize a harem?" Kenji asked, smirking.

"Very funny, Kenji. FYI, I can take any girl I want- ever since I transferred, they've practically been lining up for a date with me!" Ryoji looked back at the table full of girls. "I'm surprised they all haven't came at me yet, fighting each other for the chance to go to the dance with me,"

"I'm not surprised. Your playboy-reputation spread all over the school!" Keisuke scoffed. "I've heard the girls in Art Club talk about it- hate to break it to you, Ryoji, but I doubt you'll find a date for the dance,"

"Tch, I'll have you know there's not a single girl in this entire school who can resist my charm! I can ask out anyone!"

"Oh yeah?" Kazushi challenged, grinning; he then pointed to another table. "I doubt you won't be able to ask HER out,"

Ryoji, with a coy smile, followed Kaz's finger to who it was pointing at…

And his heart dropped into the innards of his stomach.

He was pointing right at Aigis.

"Ryoji, are you okay? You seem to have grown pale," Bebe asked.

Ryoji cleared his throat, looking back at Kaz. "N-No problem! Aigis and I have worked together on the set, I'm sure she'll go with me!" he replied with a confident grin.

"Ha! If you two show up at the dance together, I'll pay you 2000 yen!" Kenji exclaimed.

"I'll show you… better have 2000 yen on you at the dance!" With that, Ryoji stood up and walked over to Aigis's table. "Hey, Aigis, want to go to the dance?"

"No," Aigis answered bluntly, before standing up and leaving.

Laughter erupted from behind Ryoji, and he turned and glared at the others, who had to stifle snickers.

He left the cafeteria, catching up with Aigis on the way to their classroom. "Aigis, wait! Why don't you want to go to the dance with me?" he asked. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Yes… but you are also a flirtatious playboy who thinks he can have any girl in sight," Aigis replied without looking at him. "You ask out one girl for a date one week, then plan a date with another girl for the next week, going down the list until you've got a date for every week for the next year,"

"What?! That's not true! …What's that?"

Aigis had taken out a little calendar-book, flipping through it. "February 1st, you asked out Chihiro; February 8th, you asked out Yuko; February 15th, you tried to ask out Yukari only for her to stomp on your foot again; February 16th you asked out every girl on her Archery Team until one of them said yes; February 23rd you asked out Chidori, ending up hit in the face with her sketchbook while Junpei tried to strangle you with your own scarf-"

"Hey, I didn't know they were dating outside the game too! We came to an understanding!"

Aigis continued to read. "February 30th, you tried to ask out Mitsuru but she ignored your question; March 7th, you asked out Fuuka and she ran away; and on March 14th you asked out Yuki, she told you she was already dating Shinji, and you ran away, telling her not to mention it because you didn't want to die." She paused, then looked at the calendar-book again. "…oh, and last Saturday you asked out Elizabeth,"

Ryoji stood there in a nervous chibi-form, a sweat-drop appearing over his head. _Has she been keeping track of EVERY girl I've asked out?!_ He wondered.

"In case you're wondering, I've been taking note of every girl you've asked out, one week after you transferred here when a few girls started to gossip about it,"

 _Holy shit, she reads minds too?!_

The playboy cleared his throat, composing himself. "I-I was just looking for the right girl, that's all! I mean, people date to find their soul-mate, right? Plus, w-we never got a chance to hang out off-set, I barely saw you around!"

"That's because I've been avoiding you," Aigis quipped.

"…ouch." This was a lot harder than he had expected. But he couldn't give up so easily; he stepped in front of her. "Wait… What if I proved myself to be a gentleman? Then would you give me a chance?"

Aigis gave him a look, crossing her arms. "How would you prove it?"

"Um… we could just hang out- as friends!- and I could show you that I'm not just some player,"

The blonde-haired girl studied him, as if in consideration; finally, she gave a nod. "Alright. Prove to me you are respectful to the opposite gender- we will hang out every weekend before the dance. If you succeed, I will be your date; but if you have not changed my mind one bit, you go dateless."

"Deal!" Ryoji stuck his hand out in agreement; Aigis only walked past him. He turned, watching her walk off. "Wait… When did you want to meet up?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Fuuka walked into the Home Ec room, her class having been given the task to set up music; however, while working on the stereos, one of the wires shorted out and the speaker needed to be replaced. The shy girl spoke up, claiming she worked with electronics and could fix it, and save them from having to go through the treasury to get a replacement.

She carried it to the school's workshop, where the Electronic's Club normally met up on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays- she learned this as she planned on signing up. "Hello? Is anyone in here?" she called as she walked in.

"Back here," called a voice from the back of the room; around the corner she saw her co-star, Jin, standing by a work-bench with what appeared to be a set of headphones. He glanced over his shoulder for a second before resuming his work on it. "Oh hey, Fuuka. What do you need?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow a couple of tools. I need to fix the wiring in this speaker. A pair of pliers and screwdriver should be all I need,"

Jin thumbed behind him. "On the rack, hanging on the wall. Be sure to return them in their right places when you're done,"

"Okay. Thank you," Fuuka lied the speaker on a spare workbench, grabbed the tools she needed, and got to work.

Silence filled the room, outside of the sounds of tools being set down, circuits being clicked into place, and light scraping as the teens would move their projects when needed.

The shy girl felt awkward; she was used to hanging out with the SEES cast, Art Club members, and Natsuki. When it came to anyone else, she didn't exactly know how to strike up conversation.

It didn't help that they were the only ones in the room, which she didn't realize until she noticed how quiet it was.

"So… um… where is everyone?" Fuuka asked. "Doesn't your club have a meeting today?"

"I'm not part of the club," Jin answered while concentrating on connecting a wire to the headphones. "I just borrowed the key from the Faculty Office so I could work in peace; everyone else signed up to help with the dance so the meeting was cancelled,"

"Oh." Fuuka turned back to her own project. After replacing the faulty-wire, she put away the tools. Before walking out, she looked over at Jin's project. "What are you working on?"

"I'm having a problem with the mic on my headset. I'm trying to fix it,"

"What's the problem?"

"It won't transmit my voice when I have it switched on." He then looked at Fuuka, who was looking over his shoulder. "Do you mind? You're in my light,"

"Oh, sorry!" Fuuka backed away, grabbing the speaker and walking towards the door. She paused, looking back at Jin. "Um, I hope you fix it,"

"Yeah, same here…" he didn't look up.

She left him to his work.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once the weekend came around, it was no surprise most of the teens decided to spend their free-time lazing around the Dorm. Yukari and Makoto were the only ones who decided to go out that Saturday afternoon after school- albeit separately, as Yukari wanted to look at dresses and Makoto was going to hit the arcade.

As fate (or lazy writing) would have it, the two met up near the fountains at the Mall. "Oh, hey Yukari. What's up?" the protagonist asked. "I haven't seen you around much, lately."

"Yeah, I've been busy," Yukari sighed out of exhaustion. "My group had to set up posters all over the school, and then they had us work on making banners to hang up in every hallway. …It didn't help that I kept getting paired up with Junpei- he spent most of the time fooling around," she looked at Makoto. "Get this- we had to hang up a banner on the third floor, but another student took the ladder; so the idiot told me to stand on his shoulders!"

Makoto had to hold back a chuckle at that image, picturing Junpei with a pained expression as Yukari's heels dug into his shoulders (on purpose!). "Did you?" he asked as a joke.

"Ugh, no. I told him to go get the ladder," she crossed her arms, still looking irritated. "Like I'd want him looking up my skirt…"

Makoto shook his head. "He wouldn't do that."

"How do you know? You know what kind of pervert he is,"

"Yes, but he's also our friend; he's also smart enough to know that if he did so, not only would you kick him where it hurts, but Chidori would probably gouge his eyes out."

Yukari chuckled, considering this. "Yeah, that's true… Still, I wish he'd stop cracking jokes like that."

"If he didn't, there would be something wrong with him,"

Yukari chuckled again. "C'mon, let's head back to the Dorm- I'll finish dress-shopping next week,"

Makoto nodded, following her; he then remembered his conversation with Yuki a few days ago, wondering if he should ask Yukari about the dance.

Unbeknownst to him, Yukari was wondering the same thing. Deciding it would be best to ask and get it over with, she turned towards him. "Say, Makoto…"

"Mako-kun, there you are!" a voice exclaimed, and they looked over to see Yuko running up to them. "I've been looking for you!"

"You have?" Makoto responded.

"Yeah- it's been so busy at the school that I barely had time to call you. I wanted to know if you were planning on taking anyone to the dance."

"H-Huh?!" Yukari gasped, looking at Makoto.

"Well, actually…" Makoto began to reply.

"Makoto-san!" came another voice, as Chihiro walked over. "What a coincidence. Um… I was browsing around for a dress for the dance. I was wondering…" she noticed Yukari and Yuko, and blushed a bit. "Um… if you would… uh…"

"If he would… what?" Yuko asked.

"Makoto…" Yukari muttered quietly, while giving the male-lead a dark look. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Uh…" Makoto felt a sweat-drop on his head. Suddenly he wished all the female social-links didn't involve him having to hook up with so many girls; not that he did in real life, but apparently they saw him as a close friend… REALLY close.

Suddenly he was getting flash-backs of the school-fair clean-up scene… only he wished someone was around to separate the girls so a cat-fight wouldn't break out over a misunderstanding!

No such luck; looking around, none of his guy friends were around to aid him this time. He was on his own.

"Yeah… but let me settle this first," He told Yukari quietly, then turned to the other two girls. "Yuko. Chihiro. I appreciate your offers, but I'm afraid I'll have to turn them down. I'm already thinking of taking someone else to the dance,"

"Huh?" Yuko questioned; thinking for a moment, she then smirked. "OH! Geez, ha ha! I wasn't going to ask you to the dance- at least, not unless you had another date,"

"E-Excuse me?"

"I asked Kaz yesterday. I heard he was going, but I was worried he might try to sneak to the practice field and do a bunch of laps, despite his knee is still recovering from surgery; as Team Manager, I have to make sure he doesn't overexert himself. …Anyway, I asked if you were taking anyone, figuring we could double-date or something."

"You and Kaz are going together?" Makoto wondered if that ship would ever sail.

"Tch, just as friends. Don't get any ideas,"

"I-I was just wondering if you could help me pick out a dress…" Chihiro answered, rubbing her arm. "I-I normally shop with my girl friends, but it's kind of difficult- I end up comparing my looks to theirs. I figured shopping with a guy friend would be easier- preferably one who doesn't have a perverted mind." She turned to Yukari. "…I'm sorry, Yukari-san. I didn't mean to send the wrong message- if you two already had plans…!"

"Um… that's okay." Yukari answered, feeling a bit awkward and relieved at the same time.

"If it puts your mind at ease, I'm already going with Keisuke- he, uh, said he didn't have anyone to go with, and wants to go as friends, j-just so the other guys don't make fun of him,"

"I think they'll be making fun of Ryoji-san. Kaz told me all about how he tried to ask out Aigis- and failed epically!" Yuko said with a chuckle. She nodded over to a store. "C'mon, Chihiro, I'll help you find a dress. I need to find one too- we can help each other out,"

"O-okay… Bye, Makoto-san, Yukari-kun… um, sorry for the misunderstanding," With that, Chihiro and Yuko walked off.

Had this been a Social-Link test, Makoto would believe things ended peacefully…

"So… what makes you think they were going to ask you out?" Yukari asked him, arms crossed.

Scratch that.

"I just assumed they were… I mean, the way they were bringing it up…" Makoto replied, rubbing the back of his neck; he felt his face growing hot. "I-It was a matter of misinterpretation! …W-Why are you so upset about it? We're just friends… aren't we?"

Yukari paused, remembering the debate she had been thinking over. Apparently, Makoto still just saw their relationship as platonic. "Um… *sigh* yeah, you're right. Sorry, I guess I was just mad, thinking you were some playboy." She forced a smile. "I mean, it's bad enough we have Ryoji to deal with! It would suck if one of my closest friends started acting the way he did!"

"Ha, you have nothing to worry about there!" Makoto forced out a laugh- he was a little upset that Yukari agreed they were just friends, hoping that she would have opened up… perhaps she would have, had he confessed first.

But it was too late now- he chose the wrong words (feeling like he was failing a Social Link test- hell, the Arcane would probably be 'Reversed' at this point!), making her believe he just saw her as a friend.

…He could hear Yuki calling him an idiot from here- 'Moronoto' would probably be his new nickname!

He decided to change the subject, and put his mind at ease of the matter. "Yuko said Ryoji asked out Aigis and failed… but I haven't seen him asking out any other girls. You think she was a little hard on him?" he asked Yukari, as they walked out of the mall.

"It wouldn't surprise me. Ryoji is a total pig sometimes- even worse than Junpei! Although…" Yukari replied, beginning to ponder. "Aigis said he wanted her to give him a chance, wanting to prove he could change. …You think he will?"

Makoto shrugged. "It depends. Normally guys like him don't really change until they become really attached to a girl… If Aigis is the right girl for him, I bet he'll do everything he can to prove himself," his expression darkened. "But if he ends up breaking her heart, I'll hang him with his own scarf!"

Yukari chuckled. "I'll help,"

Ending the conversation there, they decided to go back to the Dorm… though Yukari couldn't overcome the fact that she failed to admit her feelings to Makoto. It seemed easy in the Social-Link because the lines were written for her… but this was different. She had no idea what to say.

As the two teens walked, they both secretly wished someone could choose the right words for them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, at the Port Island Station movie theater…

"Aignish! Waid! I coul'n't condrol id!"

Ryoji was running after a pissed-off Aigis, who had stormed out of the movie theater; the playboy was holding a handkerchief against his bleeding nose.

Though, as shocking as it sounds, it wasn't from Aigis punching him or anything.

Wanting to start off their day of hanging out smoothly, Ryoji suggested they go to a Film Festival that was showing that day. However, the films showing were R-rated. Ryoji claimed that they probably just involved a lot of foul language and gory violence, as most movie-theaters wouldn't show pornographic films- if anything, such scenes lasted only a good 15-30 seconds and did not show much.

…Boy was he wrong.

The theater was showing the _Underworld_ movies, and his first mistake was admitting he was a fan of the films, and claimed Aigis might like them. During the second movie things were starting to go well; Aigis seemed to enjoy the action-scenes and didn't mind all the blood-shed…

Then the sex-scene came up; Ryoji didn't know there was an 'unrated' version that showed this… let alone never figured the theater showed such lewd material…

His next mistake was watching the scene too long- perhaps if he excused himself, turned to talk quietly with Aigis (starting by apologizing), or at least looked at something else, the oncoming matter would have been avoided.

He ended up having a massive nose-bleed, blood spurting all over the ground!

It was an embarrassment for both of them; for one thing, Aigis already felt uncomfortable about the scene as it was… to know that the boy she entered the movie theater with ended up getting aroused to the point of exceedingly high blood-pressure only made her feel worse. Ryoji felt no better- not only did he blow his chance with Aigis, but he noticed he was the only one who had a nose-bleed in the theater.

Also he ended up getting blood on a guy sitting in front of them, pissing him off a great deal, and the usher ended up telling them they had to leave.

It was safe to say that Aigis was NOT happy.

"I shwear do God I di'n't know dere wash uh shcene lige dat!" Ryoji continued to apologize; it was hard, as his nose had yet to stop bleeding.

"You didn't expect a sex scene… in an R-Rated movie?"Aigis questioned, not believing him one bit.

"N…Nod one dat wend indo sho mush dedail…" Ryoji found himself blushing as he thought about the scene. "Loog, I'b shorry… I shaw deh sheguel on delevision, an' dey mush't've cud dat pard oud- odderwishe I would neber haff tagen you do id! I shwear!"

Aigis breathed in deep, letting it out. "I'll forgive you this one time… After all, you could not control yourself. I suppose I'm just mad that you got us kicked out." She gave him a cold look. "But from now on, I'll be choosing where we go- I can't trust your judgment,"

Ryoji let out a (snorted) sigh. "Fair enough… I'b shorry aboud dis… I'll do bedder necks dibe!"

"I hope so… Right now, you'd better get home and lie down, before you lose any more blood," With that, Aigis walked away.

Ryoji watched her go… then slumped down on the nearest bench. "Fuggin' nosh-bleed…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next day after school, everyone continued their work for the upcoming dance. Posters and banners were already set up, and the decorations were nearly done; most students who already completed their projects either had the option of helping out other groups, or go back to their usual after-school agendas.

Fuuka was on her way to the Electronics Club, as her group was done with its project for the time being, so she decided it would be a good time to ask to sign up. True, she was already in the Art Club, but she only went because she needed something to ease her mind whenever she felt pressured at home; now that she felt a little more at-ease these days, she felt she could join a club that involved doing something that suited her interests.

Reaching the door, she saw a note: "Meeting Cancelled Today- Helping Set Up For Dance"… however she noticed someone was still working inside. Curious, she opened the door to look inside.

Whoever was in the room vanished from sight, perhaps having gone to the back-room for supplies; she noticed a project on the table- a laptop that apparently had its screen separated from its keyboard! Walking over, she examined it, deducing that it must have fallen and ended up split, as part of it was cracked.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Fuuka called, though didn't receive an answer. She looked into the back-room, but didn't see anyone. Perhaps it was just a trick of the eye?

She turned to leave, though found herself looking at the busted laptop again. Always one to tinker with electronics, she couldn't resist looking over it; to her, it was like looking at a wounded animal- she couldn't just leave it be.

Before she knew it, she was working on the laptop, examining every wire and crack, her hands moving rapidly with every tool she needed to use, and getting lost in the project…

She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't realize someone was in the room with her, until a shadow loomed into her light. Startled, she turned around and gasped.

"What are you doing?!" Jin demanded; a pair of headphones hung around his neck- she noticed they were the ones he had with him the other day.

"J-Jin-san!" Fuuka quickly moved away from the work-table. She looked at the laptop. "Um… is… this yours?"

"Of course it is- unless there are idiots around here dumb enough to leave a computer behind," He looked it over. "What did you do to it?"

"Um… I was just trying to fix it…" Fuuka bowed her head, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched it- it's your own personal property, and I should have kept that in mind instead of tampering with-"

"It looks good,"

Fuuka looked up; to her surprise (and relief) Jin's stern expression as softened- in fact, he looked impressed! "I-It does…?"

"Yeah. …I was trying to reattach it myself, but when I turned it on the screen started leaking, so I figured I would have to borrow one of the school's laptops to get any work done," He turned on the screen, noticing it was faded near a corner still. "…might need a few more adjustments." He looked over at Fuuka. "You seem pretty good with electronics. You think you can finish the job? I'll pay you back,"

"Oh! Um, you don't have too… but I'll try," Fuuka then continued to work on the computer; Jin walked over to the other side of the work-table, working with his headset. "So… where were you? I didn't see or hear you in the back-room,"

Jin thumbed over at the back-room. "I was in the computer-room; it's connected to the back-room. I was using a laptop to test my headset- the mic was working, but one of the ear-pieces is shot. I came back here to look at it, and that's when I saw you,"

Fuuka blushed. "Sorry again for the intrusion… I came here to sign up for the club, and I thought I saw someone in here. I was going to leave, but then I noticed the laptop just lying here, and… well, I couldn't help myself." She kept her eyes on her work, opening the back of the screen to inspect the damage. "My dad's a mechanic, and I used to hang out in his workshop all the time, and eventually I developed a knack for fixing things and tampering with technology,"

"You're really good at it. …Why didn't you join the club sooner? You'd probably be its president or something by now,"

"Um… well… I wanted to, but… I didn't think it would go well for me," Her hands slowed down in her work, as she thought back to her past. "You see… before I signed up to be a character in the game… I had a lot of problems." She shook her head. "But, I-I won't get into that right now… How's your headset coming along?"

"Just gotta adjust one more wire… there!" Jin held up the headphones; he took out an mp3 player from his pocket and plugged them in, testing them out. He arched an eyebrow, adjusting the volume. "Hmm… sounds like the speakers are nearly shot." He took them off and looked at his laptop. "How's my laptop?"

Fuuka looked over her work, tampering with a couple more circuits, before reattaching the screen. She turned it on, and there was no leaking. "I did my best… If the screen starts to leak again, you may have to buy a new one,"

Jin scoffed. "That'll be a while, I can't afford it."

Fuuka's eyes widened. "You can't? But… didn't you get paid for your role in the game?"

"Yeah… but all that money went into my college savings. I'm applying at a university in Tokyo," He looked out the window, which gave a view of the hallway. "The farther I am from this place, the better…"

Fuuka shifted, having a feeling Jin probably had his share of problems at Gekkoukan too…

He cleared his throat. "Anyway, thanks for working on my laptop." He picked up his computer, slipping it into a carrying-case.

Fuuka followed him as he walked out. "How did it get broken, anyway?" she asked; Jin seemed like the kind of guy who would take great care of his electronics.

Jin scowled. "I made the mistake of leaving it on my desk during lunch; some prick probably knocked it off my desk or something," he shifted the strap on his shoulder, as if trying to keep calm. "I would have taken it to a computer-repair shop… but like I said, I can't afford the wages. That's why I've been using the Electronics Club room to work on everything,"

"I see… Why didn't you take them home to fix?"

"Pfft. I don't have the right tools at home- hell, I'd be surprised if there was a hammer in the supply drawer!" Noticing Fuuka seemed uneasy, he calmed himself. "My parents aren't exactly mechanics; they decide to pay other people to fix things than do it themselves. They're pretty much snobs like that…" he shook his head. "I gotta go. Bye, Fuuka,"

Fuuka watched him go, rubbing her arm.

She really needed to work on her social-skills…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Alright. There's nothing to this. Just go in, ask her, and no matter what she says, stay cool… man, I feel like a wuss…_

This was the last thought in Akihiko's head before he walked down the left hall on the first floor, heading straight for the end; school was over for the day, and his group had finished their project early… so he decided to use his spare time to try and ask out Mitsuru. The valedictorian always hung around near the Faculty Office when she didn't have to attend Student Council… and he was hoping she wasn't too busy organizing everything for the dance, now just two weeks away.

"Mitsuru-san," He called, gripping the jacket he always hung over his shoulder and giving a casual smile. "Are you busy?"

"Hm? Oh, hello Akihiko." Mitsuru replied, turning back to the bulletin board. "As a matter of fact, no; I managed to finish organizing a few things for the day, so I have some spare time. …Why? Is there something you need?"

"No, no… I was just wondering if you'd like to walk home together. My group finished early, and I don't have practice today, so I thought I'd ask,"

Mitsuru gave a nod. "Very well. Let's go,"

The two seniors walked down the hall. _Okay… now just ask her to the dance._ Akihiko told himself. _You're both friends, it's no big deal- it's not like you're proposing! Just say the words: 'Would you like to go to the dance with me?'. It's simple! …shit, why am I still quiet?_

"Akihiko, what do you think of the upcoming dance?" Mitsuru asked, while Akihiko was trying to rack his nerves.

Her question surprised the boxing-champion. "Huh? Oh, um, I'm looking forward to it." He replied; deciding this would be the right time to ask his question, he cleared his throat. "Actually, since you brought it up, I did want to ask you something…"

The valedictorian looked at him in curiosity. "Yes? …What is it?"

Akihiko drew in a deep breath. "I was wondering-"

"Look! It's Aki-senpai!" came a shout, followed by several squeals of delight.

Suddenly, Akihiko found himself surrounded by a group of girls. They all started talking at once, fan-girling over him like he was the hottest anime guy ever created. _(a/n: …not knowing that Junpei has him beat ;) lol had to say it- I regret nothing!)_

Mitsuru arched an eyebrow at their behavior, while Akihiko gave her an apologetic glance. "Would you all just leave me alone?!" he snapped at the girls, pushing through them.

"Wait, Senpai! We have an important question!" one of the girls said.

"Will you take one of us to the dance?" the second one asked without delay.

"Take me, Aki-senpai!/No, take me!/I'm free for the dance!/Pleeeaaase?" they all started to jabber at once, again.

"It seems you've got your hands full, Sanada." Mitsuru stated with a small chuckle. "I'll see you back at the Dorm- you can ask me your question later," With that, she continued on.

"But…! Wait…!" Akihiko tried to call, but the other girls blocked his path, refusing to move until he gave them an answer. Growling in frustration, he glared at them. "BACK OFF ALREADY! I'm not taking ANY of you! Geez, go bother some other guy for a change!" he snapped at them, before storming off.

"Awwww…." All the girls whined in disappointment.

"He was a lot meaner than usual…" the third girl whimpered.

"…But that makes him even hotter!" the fourth girl giggled, and they all walked off.

Watching the scene from by the stairs was a certain punk and the female-protagonist.

Yuki had to shake her head. "Every time I see how those girls act, I can only picture them in abusive relationships in the future," she scoffed.

"Aki missed his chance again," Shinji commented. "Serves him right for waiting this long… he should have just asked her earlier and gotten it over with,"

"Well, it is a new experience for both of them," Yuki shrugged, as they both walked on. "Mitsuru claimed the closest she came to dating was when she had to do a Social-Link scene with my brother- and she claimed since it was just an act, it didn't really count, and she didn't exactly understand the concept of the script."

"Sooner or later she's gotta cut loose. Ever since freshman year, she acted like she was already an adult; hell, any more sophisticated and she'll make her ol' man seem like a teenager,"

"I think she's making a start; she did say having a school dance will be an interesting experience."

"Tch… just like the rich-girl to treat the thing as an observation." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, walking ahead of her. "I don't see why a bunch of people are getting so excited- it's just a dumb dance; all anyone is going to do is stand around, make wise-cracks, eat food, and drag their boyfriend or girlfriend to dance to some lame song."

"Y-Yeah, doesn't sound that fun…" Yuki rubbed the back of her neck. She was afraid to tell her boyfriend that she would actually like to attend the dance with him- even if they did just stand around most of the time. She couldn't help but imagine slow-dancing with him- being held close as they gently swayed to the rhythm of a song, resting her head on his chest as she relaxed in his arms…

"Yuki…? …Yuki!" Shinji snapped his fingers in front of her face, after noticing she was spacing out.

"Huh? Oh, sorry... I-I'm pretty tired from working on our group project," The female-protagonist replied; in truth, she did feel tired from all the work they had to do. "…and I still need to go to Art Club and work on the decorations…"

"Eh, skip it. You've already done one project for the day," Shinji guided her out the doors. "C'mon, let's go grab some Hagakure."

Nodding, Yuki followed him to the ramen-shop at the mall; afterwards, they returned to the Dorm. It was quiet, save for the television being on (with Koromaru sitting in front of it… remote under his paw as the dog seemed to change the channels).

Shinji sat down on the chair, stretching out and reading a cooking-magazine. Yuki sat down on one of the couches, deciding to play a new game, _Ni No Kuni,_ on her DS, wearing headphones so the sounds wouldn't irritate her boyfriend.

However, she found it hard to concentrate, her eyes often drifting over to Shinji, lost in his magazine. _Is this all our relationship will be?_ She wondered. _Just walking around, making remarks, and eating out? I appreciate the steady pace, but… I just wish we could do more…_

Eventually, Shinji went up to his room, claiming he was about to dose off; Yuki returned to hers, lying down in her bed and staring at the ceiling, wondering about her relationship until she fell asleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The week went by fast, and once again the students were thankful they had Sundays off (…though still wished they lived in America so they could have Saturdays off too…)

It was time for Ryoji's second attempt at proving to Aigis that he could be a suave gentleman, and not a perverted, flirtatious playboy. As promised, Aigis chose their location, deciding they could go to Paulownia Mall and look at some dresses and tuxedos.

It was a test, he knew; he would have to be polite about what kind of dress Aigis should wear- meaning mini-dresses, back-less and strap-less gowns, and V-necked attire was ruled out. (He wanted to remark that she had no problem wearing a short-skirted uniform to school, but didn't want to risk another nose-bleed- caused by a fist to the face).

He picked out a nice tuxedo with a cream-colored shirt, while Aigis browsed around for a good dress. "Man, I wish Mitsuru didn't make the dance formal," he stated, striking up conversation. "I mean, it's nice to see the girls- I mean, everyone- dress nice, but still… it's pretty ridiculous."

"I heard most high-schools do something like it; it's called Prom." Aigis pulled out a purple dress with long, see-through violet sleeves. "Hmm… What do you think of this one, Ryoji-san? Do you think I'd look good in it?"

Ryoji smiled. "I think you'd look good in all these dresses- you have such a beautiful figure,"

Aigis blushed, biting her lip. "Um… that's not what I meant…" she put it back on the rack. "I'm going to go look over there…" she then walked deeper into the women's section.

Ryoji's shoulders slumped; all he did was compliment her… _What am I doing wrong?!_ He demanded, pondering deep.

"Hey, Ryoji-kun! What brings you by here?" came a voice, and he saw Junpei walking over to him.

"Shopping for a tux- and helping Aigis find a dress," Ryoji replied, unable to suppress a smirk. "If I prove what a gentleman I am, she'll go to the dance with me!"

"Oh yeah… I heard Kenji talking about that- so are you in it for the girl, or the 2000 yen?"

"Honestly… I just want to prove something to her. Aigis is pretty tough to get close to- if I can show I'm not just some Casanova, I might have a shot!"

Junpei chuckled. "Well, good luck with that." He then looked around. "By the way, have you've seen Chidori? She said she was going to meet me here, but I haven't seen her yet."

"No, I haven't. Why don't you go wait by the fountains?"

Junpei nodded, walking out.

Ryoji then looked around, noticing Aigis was absent; shrugging, he decided to head to the changing-rooms and try on his tuxedo, just to make sure it fit. _Now where are the changing rooms in this place?_ He wondered, as he didn't exactly shop at the mall much. He walked around the store, until he noticed a small doorway with the sign 'Changing Room' not too far off. _Ah, perfect!_

He hurried in, wanting to try it on quick, so he could get back to Aigis before she thought he ditched her (or decided to ditch him… if she turned out to have a bitch-side to her personality); in his haste, he didn't notice _one little detail_ above the doorway.

He entered an available stall, changing into his tuxedo and checking out himself in the mirror. _What does the Host Club at Ouran got that I don't got?_ He complimented himself. Satisfied, he began to take off the tux…

"*sigh* I look like a bimbo in this dress…" came a familiar voice.

 _Huh? …Yukari-san…?_

"You probably look better than I do- this dress makes me feel shorter than usual," came another familiar voice.

 _Is that… Fuuka-kun…?_

"Does anyone else wonder why some of these dresses don't have straps? They look nice… but wouldn't the woman wearing them be at greater risk of a wardrobe malfunction?" came yet another familiar voice.

 _Gah! M-Mitsuru-senpai?!_ Ryoji began to panic, realizing that he ended up _in the wrong changing room!_

(…who all saw this coming? XD)

Peeking out a crack in the door, he saw the girls wearing different dresses, asking for each other's opinions. Fuuka was wearing a mini-dress, though felt shame for even trying it on; Yukari was wearing a stunning V-neck with a slit by the right leg, going half-way up her thigh; and Mitsuru was wearing a back-less dress with a tie-around collar.

They all looked stunning; the playboy felt his pupils grow ten times in size, completely awestruck.

He shook his head. _No! Stop staring! Think of Aigis…! More importantly, think of a way out of here!_ He scolded himself. He did NOT want to risk Mitsuru's infamous 'execution' and die before sundown. He could see the headlines now: "Teenage Boy Mauled at Mall: Died in Women's Changing Room,"

"C'mon, let's try on the other dresses," Yukari stated. "I want to find one that's more comfortable,"

"Y-Yeah, I probably look like a slut in this…" Fuuka agreed (Ryoji wished he could tell her otherwise).

"I agree. I'll catch a chill in a dress like this," Mitsuru added.

All the girls walked back into their stalls to change. _Okay, all I have to do is sprint out of here before they see me, and I'm in the clear!_ Ryoji thought, counting to five before sneaking out of his stall…

Passing by a mirror, he noticed a mistake- he was still wearing the tuxedo; his clothes on the bench in the stall!

 _Fuck!_ Ryoji snuck back in, quietly shutting and locking the door, changing back into his clothes.

Luck seemed to be on his side as, while he was changing, Yukari, Fuuka, and Mitsuru found the right dresses to suit them. "Let's change and go pay; I'm getting hungry," Yukari stated.

"Same here. Let's go to the Sweet Shop," Fuuka added. "I heard they have some new cakes out,"

"Ha ha, alright… but let's just get small pieces- we have to fit into our dresses!"

Ryoji sighed quietly with relief, leaning against the wall and looking up at the ceiling… then noticed something; if he stood on the bench, he could peek over the wall into the girl's changing stalls… they were still undressing…

 _Maybe I could take a quick look before they leave…_ He thought to himself. Aigis wouldn't have to know- it could be his own little secret…

*Slap!*

 _NO! Bad Ryoji, bad! You can't risk fucking up!_ He snapped at himself; plus, with mirrors in each stall, there was a chance a girl could spot him via reflection… That, and he had to get out of here before they noticed him.

Grabbing his tux, he walked out of the stall, hurrying out the exit of the changing room. He was in the clear!

*Bam!*

"Oof! …R-Ryoji!"

…or so he thought…

"Gah! A-Aigis!" Ryoji gasped, seeing that he slammed into the blonde, who appeared to be on her way to try on a dress. He cleared his throat- he had to come up with a good alibi. "Um… why are you going into the men's changing room?"

"Men's? This is the women's!" Aigis retorted.

Ryoji pretended to be embarrassed (which was easy, as he was already red in the face). "What?! …Holy shit, I didn't know! Damn, it's a good thing I bumped into you and no one else- please don't tell the guys I was here, alright?" he walked around her. "Well, my tux fits so I'm ready to go!"

"I still need to find a dress… Why are you so flustered?"

"Flustered? Ah ha ha ha- um…! Well, just a bit embarrassed about going into the wrong changing room… That's a lovely dress- I think it'll fit you fine! Let's go!"

"What's the rush…?" Her tone sounded suspicious.

"Um… I'm hungry! Yeah- when you gotta eat, you gotta eat, y'know?"

Aigis sighed. "Alright, you go pay…" she walked into the changing room. "I'll meet you by the fountains after I try on my dress," She then entered the changing room before Ryoji could make another excuse.

The playboy groaned, leaning against the wall. _Five… four… three… two… one…_

"(huh?! …he was here?!)" came Yukari's gasp.

"MOCHIZUKI!" came Mitsuru's furious bellow.

Tux abandoned, Ryoji was already sprinting out of the store.

Moments later, the girls were running out, looking all over the mall. "Where'd that pervert go?!" Yukari snarled. Looking over, she saw Junpei sitting by the water fountains. "Junpei! Where's Ryoji?!"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know," Junpei answered with a shrug. "I haven't seen him… I've been waiting for Chidori for the last twenty minutes,"

"He probably left the mall," Fuuka guessed, feeling quite unnerved. She looked over. "He probably ran out the back way,"

"We can confront him on Monday… if he's bold enough to face us at school," Mitsuru said, darkly.

"I'm going to kill him…" Yukari muttered, then looked at Junpei. "Tell him he's got a death-warrant waiting for him, if you see him!"

"Um… okay… what happened?" Junpei asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Ryoji was in the women's changing room…" Aigis answered, arms crossed; she looked disappointed. "He said he went in there by accident, but… I don't know if I can believe that,"

"I sure don't," Yukari sneered. She sighed. "C'mon, let's go get something to eat… You want to join us, Aigis?"

The blonde girl shook her head. "No thanks…I'm going to keep looking at dresses." With that, she walked back into the store, while the rest of the girls left the mall.

Once the coast was clear, Junpei reached behind the bench… and pulled Ryoji up from the fountain, holding him by the hair, the playboy gasping for breath. "Thanks Junpei… I owe you one…" he rasped, taking in gulps of air.

"Face it, Ryo-de-Janeiro, you've got a problem," Junpei answered, while giving his friend a glare. "Seriously? Peeping on girls in the changing rooms? That's low even for you!"

"I wasn't peeping! …I wanted to, but didn't… I ended up in there by accident. I tried to get out before the girls could notice me, but ended up bumping into Aigis…" he sighed, sitting down on the bench, sopping wet. "…and now I'm screwed. Aigis will never give me a chance- hell, she probably won't even look at me," he hung his head low. "…why can't I ever get a break…?"

"Ehh, give her time to cool off and explain everything. This isn't like the game- where the girls would kill you over staying in the hot-springs for too long and thought you were peeping. I'm sure they'll listen,"

Ryoji rolled his eyes. "Pfft. Yeah. And maybe we'll have a movie-series!"

"Just apologize. The worst they can do is hate your guts- be sincere, and Mitsuru-senpai might let you live,"

"Gee, thanks…" Ryoji looked over, noticing someone come through the door. "Here comes your girlfriend,"

"Chidori!" Junpei called, waving to his girlfriend; she walked over. "Hey, what took you so long? Didn't run into any trouble, did you?"

"No… Sorry, I let my mind wander and lost track of time," Chidori answered, sitting down on the other side of him; she then noticed Ryoji. "Um… why is Ryoji soaking wet?"

"D-Don't ask…" Ryoji answered, overwhelmed with shame.

"So, wanna go look for some outfits for the dance, Chidorita?" Junpei asked. "I saw a cool tuxedo I might buy…"

"Um… actually…" Chidori replied, rubbing her arm; she seemed upset. "I'm… not going to buy a dress,"

Junpei looked at her, surprised. "Huh? Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to go to the dance," she sighed. "I'm sorry, Junpei."

"W-Whoa, hold on… Why don't you want to go? I mean, I understand if you're not interested in this sort of thing- I mean, Shinjiro-senpai isn't either, and Yuki's okay with him not going…"

"No, it's not that… I can't afford a dress. And before you say anything, I don't want you spending your money to buy me one! I've already seen the prices… you would be broke for the rest of the month,"

"That doesn't sound like too big a deal… Don't you have a dress at home you can wear? Or, wait- your Gothic Lolita dress! The studio will let you wear it… right?"

"I don't have any other dresses, and my trademark-dress was put into storage." She stood up. "It's alright, Junpei- if you want, you can go with someone else. Perhaps Yuki can go with you, if Shinjiro-senpai doesn't want to…"

"Hold it! I got a solution!" Ryoji exclaimed, standing up. "Bebe said something about making dresses for the dance- he can make you one! Free of charge!"

"Huh? He is?" Chidori considered this. "But… the dance is in less than two weeks. He wouldn't have enough time…"

"Ha! Are you kidding? The guy sews like lightning! He made Kenji and Kaz a couple of tuxedos in under a week!"

"This is the first I've heard of it!" Junpei exclaimed, clenching his fists. "That little punk owes me money from the arcade last week- but he said he was short on cash after buying a tux! I bet he spent it all on Hagukure again…!"

Chidori chuckled, turning to Ryoji. "You think Bebe is still taking requests?" she asks.

"Wouldn't surprise me. He hangs out at the Sweet Shop on Sundays- you can meet him there,"

Chidori linked her arm with Junpei's. "Let's go find him, then." With that, they walked out.

"See ya, Ryoji- uh, by the way, I think you have a coin in your suspenders." Junpei stated, before they left.

Ryoji checked his suspenders, finding a quarter from the fountain ended up stuck in there. Sighing, he tossed it back in, and decided to go to Hagakure for a bite to eat before he went home.

Unbeknownst to him, a certain blonde had been watching the conversation from the front of the store.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The week went by at a slower pace; with so many preparations taken care of, the students didn't have any work to do, until the chairs and tables had to be set up and the food came in.

Jin couldn't be more relieved; true, his group didn't have much to do so he had time to kill most days, but all the hype of the dance was starting to annoy him. It didn't help that Takaya kept asking if he was going to take any girls- sarcastically, of course, as the hippie-dressed character enjoyed picking on him. The bespectacled character really hoped someone would knock him off his high-horse…

 _Like I was going to go to that dance anyway,_ Jin thought to himself, walking around Iwatodai Station after school on Wednesday; the air was a bit cold, despite Spring was right around the corner, and he zipped up his green, black-sleeved jacket, pulling the hood up. _It'll probably be freezing that night, anyway… who wants to stand around outside in the cold for half a night?_

He sighed; he had figured that, after joining the _Persona 3_ cast, he would be able to socialize more. He never really interacted with anyone- the only reason he took on the role was to get into Gekkoukan High, maybe meet more people and have something to do in his free time. It wasn't like he enjoyed being anti-social… but, no matter how many rehearsals he went to or how many people he met, he never could get around to hanging out with anyone, mostly due to keeping up with schoolwork…

His parents kept bringing it up, claiming he had to get out more- they kept thinking there was something 'wrong' with him; they didn't have room to talk, he knew, as they were so stuck up they had other people do things for them, not understanding the concept of 'hard work'. Screw them…

"*sob* …*sniffle*…"

His mental grousing was interrupted when he heard someone crying; they were up the concrete stairs that led to the escalators. He looked up, seeing a hint of blue hair…

"Huh? Fuuka-san…?" Jin whispered, walking up the stairs to see if his guess was right. It was; sitting on a bench, sobbing into her hands, was Fuuka. "Fuuka! Are you okay?"

Fuuka gasped, seeing him there. "Oh, Jin-kun… y-you startled me," she responded, her voice raspy. She sniffled, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "It's alright… I-I'm okay…"

"Bullshit," Jin sat down beside her. "What happened?"

Fuuka bit her lip; she was used to opening up to her closest friends. Maybe if it were Yukari, Makoto, Yuki, or Natsuki she would feel comfortable- heck, even if it were Junpei, she would be able to talk… but Jin? She didn't think he'd want to be bothered with her troubles…

"C'mon, tell me. Did someone hurt you?"

"Um… no…" she looked at him from the corner of her eyes; his expression was stern and his voice sounded cold. Yet in his gaze she saw concern. "Well… at least not physically…"

"What do you mean? …Don't hold back, it's just you and me here. Let it out,"

Fuuka sniffled, her eyes tearing up again. "I… I went to sign up for the Electronics Club… and…" she took in a deep breath to steady her wobbling voice. "They said I couldn't join… because it was for guys only… O-One of them said they would only make an exception if… if I…"

Her face grew red and tears formed in her eyes. Jin grimaced, knowing the reason. "I hope you kicked him in the balls,"

"N-No… I ran out of the room… and kept running until I got on the monorail and came here." Fuuka unleashed a heavy sigh. "I should have known… Not many girls are into the art of mechanics, so of course the club would mostly involve boys…"

"Those weren't boys. Those were sexist dicks." Jin looked down at his carrying-case that held his laptop- which was still working well. "You don't need to join their club anyway. You're already a tech-genius… and if they want to act like assholes than learn that themselves, I say they're asking for a hack-attack!"

"H-Hack attack…?"

Jin gave a firm nod. "I may not know how to fix a laptop, but I know how to work one- one link to their Facebook pages, and I can fuck up their hard-drives so bad it'll take them months to fix everything. Just give me their names and they'll regret talking to you like that,"

Fuuka blushed. "You don't have to do that…"

"Hey, someone's got to teach them a lesson. Now what were their names?"

"Um… Mason Ginei, Nomi Fujino, Trevor Li, and Haruki Reven."

Jin clenched his fists. "…I know those pricks. They're a few punks in my class- huh, didn't think they were smart enough to know how electronics work… much less know how to treat them decently…"

"Were they the ones who broke your laptop?" Fuuka guessed.

"I don't have proof… but I wouldn't doubt it," Jin looked at Fuuka, noticing that her crying had stopped. He looked over the ledge, then gave a nod. "C'mon, I'll treat you to a movie- that'll get your mind off those ass-wipes,"

"Um… thanks, b-but I should go back to the Dorm," Fuuka seemed a bit shy of the idea. "They're not showing anything I'd like to watch, anyway…"

"What do you like to watch?"

"Um… well I like sci-fi films… and weird-science anime…"

For the first time since she met him, Jin actually smiled. "Really? Those are my favorite kinds of anime!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm… though calmed himself, feeling ridiculous. Why was he so excited that she liked the same things he did? Sure, it made it easier for them to interact, but still… "So… want to go to Book On? They might have good mangas there,"

"Sure," Fuuka stood up, walking with him across the street to the Strip Mall, going up the stairs to the manga café.

Once there, the hours seemed to fly by for Jin, as he and Fuuka read various sci-fi mangas, often making comparisons between two different series- one subject they got hooked on was if there was a crossover of Cowboy Bebop and Trigun, since one series was about a space bounty-hunter and the other was about an outlaw… though made nit-picks about the different settings and time-lines, realizing it wouldn't work out.

 _(a/n: …wish they'd give it a try, though! Who's with me?!)_

By the time they reached the end of their mangas, it was already getting dark out. "Oh my gosh- I need to get back to the Dorm, it's almost past curfew!" Fuuka gasped, standing up and running to the door; she stopped, turning around and giving Jin a respectful bow. "Thank you, Jin- it was nice hanging out with you!" And she left in a haste.

Jin paused, blinking a couple times as if he woke up from a dream.

He actually hung out with someone- outside of the game-plot!

"…it was nice hanging out with you, too." He answered quietly, despite Fuuka had already left.

 _~TO BE CONTINUED~_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Well guys, I hate to stop here… but as I was typing this out, I realized it was almost 50 pages long! So, I decided to make this a two-parter.

NEXT PART: Will Yukari and Makoto come clean about their feelings? Will Ryoji get another chance with Aigis? Where will Jin's newfound friendship with Fuuka lead? What about Yuki and Shinji's relationship? And will Akihiko ever succeed in asking out Mitsuru?! Find out in the continuation of this cheesy attempt at a romantic-comedy!

Please review, but be nice. I know this sucks. :P


	9. Gekko's First Dance, PART TWO

And now the continuation of the last chapter! …Better brace yourself, it's a long one!

Junpei: That's what she said ;)

Me: How'd you get in here?!

Junpei: You forgot to lock the door.

Me: T_T Just get back into the story, you have a dance to get to! *shoves him out* Go go go! Shoo!

Junpei: Alright, I'm going! Sheesh! *leaves*

Me: *sigh* I need a new security system…

 **Reviewer Thanks!**

 **The Idiosocracy:** *realizes I spelled your name wrong last time and feel bad* …Well, I put a bit of my personality into Yuki- so I guess I'm more like Junpei than I thought XD ; And thank you- writing comedy isn't easy, but if you have the right material and set-up, it pretty much writes itself; I'm still on hiatus, I just cut one chapter in half and added on to the second half :P

*please see previous chapter for genre, summary, pairings, and disclaimer*

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Yukari walked down to the end of the hall, knocking on the door. It was late at night, but she had to talk to someone- preferably her best friend.

Yuki opened the door, looking a bit sleepy-eyed. "Yukari-san…?" she questioned, releasing a quiet yawn. "What's wrong?"

"I… I need your advice," Yukari said, quietly.

Yuki nodded, allowing her bestie to enter her room, shutting the door behind her. "What's the problem? …Does it involve how you guys are going to kill Ryoji?"

"No- actually, he's been avoiding all of us all week, so it's been hard… I need to talk to you about something else," Yukari sat down on the bed, sighing. "It… involves your brother,"

"Ah…" Yuki nodded. "…Haven't told him how you felt, have you?"

Yukari looked up at her in surprise. "H-How did you know?"

Yuki rolled her eyes, smirking. "He talked to me about it after you guys went to the mall a few days ago. And I'll tell you the same thing I told him- just go somewhere private to talk and tell him you want to be more than friends now. It's not as hard as it sounds,"

Yukari rubbed her arm. "Easy for you to say… you have a boyfriend already!" She then noticed her friend's eyes widen slightly, her smirk disappearing as she shifted a bit. "Hm? …What's wrong? …*gasp* Did something happen between you and Shinjiro-senpai?!"

"N-No! Actually… that's the problem… nothing seems to happen." Yuki sat down on the bed next to the archery-member; it was her turn to confide. "Shinji and I started off so close- he gave me his pocket-watch, we walk around almost everywhere, and he's teaching me how to cook… but… lately I've felt some sort of distance between us. I think it has to do with the dance…"

"How? Isn't he going?" Yukari paused. "Then again… he's not into that sort of thing, is he?"

"I normally don't mind… I'm not really big on romance either, but… at the same time…" Yuki pulled her knees up to her chest, sighing. "I want to do something romantic- hold his hand once in a while when we walk somewhere, fall asleep on the couch watching a movie with him… go to the dance with him..."

"Then… just tell him. Ask him to go to the dance with you," Yukari smiled. "It's not as hard as it sounds, right?"

"But I don't want to make him do something he doesn't like! I mean… how would you like it if Makoto asked you to do something you're not into, like playing videogames?"

"I guess I wouldn't want to… But, then again, if he was my boyfriend, I would at least give it a try for him. That's what being in love is all about, right? Even if I wouldn't change my mind, it still mattered that I took time to share something he was passionate about. …I think, if you asked Shinji, he'd go with you. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up liking it, just because you were with him."

Yuki blushed, giving a nod. "Okay… I'll ask him- but only if you confess your feelings to Makoto!"

Yukari laughed, shaking her hand. "Deal,"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Ow… Ow… Ow… Ow…"

As you can guess, it was Ryoji saying that. The playboy walked down the sidewalk to Paulownia Mall, deciding to stop by the Pharmacy to buy some pain-reliever, bandages, and an ice-pack.

He had been trying to avoid the girls all week, often rushing out during Lunch and not returning until after class started, and making sure he had a head-start on leaving school. But, it was all in vain, as he ended up caught by the stairs…

Not by the girls, though.

He was caught by Akihiko and Makoto… who heard about his little incident from Junpei. (Ryoji vowed to never share any of his personal secrets with the class-clown ever again). It was then when he learned how good Akihiko was at boxing… and how much Makoto improved in kendo-practice.

Thankfully, Junpei was smart enough to tell them that Ryoji did not peep at the girls, but had wandered into the changing room by accident, leading to one big misunderstanding. …They didn't believe him at first, but after making sure Ryoji was sincere, they called the mercy-rule on him.

"Sorry, Ryoji-san, but you shouldn't have been such a sneak," Akihiko stated. "You could have just called out and told the girls you were in there by mistake,"

"Like they'd believe me…" Ryoji muttered, limping ahead of them. He paused, hissing in pain as he rubbed his shin. "Dammit, Makoto, did you really have to hit me with a stick?!"

"Sorry. Please live strong," Makoto bluntly replied. Ryoji only sneered at him.

"Well, it's your own fault; if you didn't act like such a pervert, maybe they'd be willing to trust your word," Akihiko told him.

"Yeah man- you can have a dirty mind, but you also need to know boundaries," Junpei added.

"Junpei… two weeks ago you suggested that Yukari stand on your shoulders to hang up a banner, I doubt even YOU know boundaries," Makoto commented.

"That was different, I was just joking! Like I'd want her heels impaling my shoulders… And I have a girlfriend now- and trust me, Chidori would fucking KILL me if I was messing around with another girl!"

"Well… yeah… that's obvious." Makoto rubbed the back of his neck, remembering the awkward moment he and Yukari went through back at the mall.

"Seriously, guys, I need your help!" Ryoji exclaimed, standing in front of the group now. "I really want to prove to Aigis that I'm not just some pervert… but I keep screwing up no matter how hard I try! What should I do?!"

"Well… start by acting like less of a ladies' man and more like… yourself." Junpei suggested. "That's how it worked out with me and Chidori- I stopped laying on so much charm and just treated her like how I treat my friends… and eventually she warmed up to me."

Akihiko looked at Junpei. "…That is probably the only good advice you have ever given since I've met you, Junpei." He replied, astounded.

Junpei gave him a look. "Hey… I've had plenty of wisdom to share!"

"…wisdom referring to 'wise-cracks'," Makoto joked, then looked at Ryoji (ignoring the death-glare from Junpei). "But, he does have a point. If you stop 'trying' to charm Aigis and just treat her well, she'll begin to see you as more as a friend- and that will be a good start."

"Right. Afterwards, just hang out as friends, until you're both comfortable enough to start dating and see if you're ready for a relationship," Akihiko added.

"You know… that may actually work! Alright, I'll try it!" Ryoji exclaimed, though paused. "But… she might not want to talk to me again after that incident at the mall…"

"We'll put in a good word for you, bud." Junpei said with a grin. "I'm sure she's gotten over it by now,"

"Especially since we beat the shit out of you for the girls," Makoto said.

Ryoji gave a nod, grinning. "Man, am I glad I have love-experts like you on my side!" he stated, then began to walk off. "Thanks guys- don't appreciate the ass-kicking, but everything else!"

Junpei chuckled. "Love-Experts…Yup, that fits us well!" he beamed.

"Yeah… Love-experts, heh…" Akihiko replied, shifting a bit.

"That's us…" Makoto replied with a nervous chuckle.

Both he and Akihiko realized the same thing: they had a lot to learn about love… and considering Junpei was the one who gave the best advice that they had to follow up on, they had a long way to go.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next day, the hype of the dance seemed to have calmed down. Almost everyone had a date, the preparations were going smoothly, and all seemed to be going alright…

On an emotional level, however, things seemed to be spiraling out of control for a few.

Chidori noticed this during the lunch period.

She was walking out of the Home Economics room, after asking Bebe how the dress was coming along; he claimed it was going quite smoothly and would be done by Monday. "It was such a challenge, my nakama," Bebe told her, having learned a few more friendly Japanese terms. "But zo much fun to work with! It will be ze most beautiful dress I 'ave ever sewn!"

"Thank you, Andre," Chidori replied with a nod, calling him by his first name.

"Ah! Please, Chidori-san, call me 'Bebe'! It iz a nickname all my nakamas- friends- refer to me by!"

Chidori chuckled. "If you wish,"

Bebe then looked at a clock on the wall. "Ack, look at ze time! Lunch will be over with soon! I had better get back to class- I've been working on so many outfits lately zat I 'ave been running late; if I am late once more, I will have detention- and will lose so much time in my work! Jan ne, Chidori-sama!"

With that, the foreign-exchge student rushed off. Chidori chuckled, walking to her own class, 2-D; she decided to stop by the restroom along the way, having a couple minutes before class would begin.

That's when she sensed emotional distress… well, heard it to be precise.

" _I know you're not into this sort of thing, but would you give it a try for me? …_ No, that's too pathetic… _Hey, if you're bored next weekend, want to go to the dance?_ …hmm, no, he'd turn that offer down… _This creepy kid has been asking me to go to the dance with him- would you mind coming with me, just to give him the message?_ …ugh, that's horrible- Shinji would probably demand who it was so he could beat the shit out of them…"

"Huh? Yuki-san?" Chidori questioned, tapping on the door of the handicap-stall, where she noticed someone was pacing around.

"Gah! What…?!" Yuki opened the door, letting out a sigh of relief. "Oh, Chidori… it's just you. Thank God. …Um, h-how much of that did you hear?"

"Just a few lines. I take it you're trying to figure out how to ask Shinjiro-senpai to the dance?"

"Yeah… I know he's not into that sort of thing, but lately… I've just been wanting to try to do something a little romantic with him. He's so rugged and tough that he wouldn't be caught dead going, but I still wonder if he'd be willing to if I asked. …Trouble is, how do I ask him without sounding like I'm forcing him to go?"

"Simple. Just say, 'Would you like to go to the dance with me?'."

"W-What if he says no?"

Chidori shrugged. "Then say it's fine, because you can go with someone else- as friends, of course. Fuuka hasn't asked out anyone, perhaps the two of you can go together,"

"I guess…" Yuki sighed. "…I just wish he'd drop the tough-guy reputation once in a while…"

Chidori patted her on the back. "Just ask him, and we'll see what happens." The bell rang, and she walked out of the bathroom. "Just ask him; the worst he can do is say no."

Yuki sighed. "…that's the worst I can imagine…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mitsuru walked down the hallway, clipboard in hand. Ever since the dance had been suggested, she had been busy with the preparations, organizing, and ordering. As Student-Council President, she felt it was her responsibility to make sure Gekkoukan's first ever coed dance was a spectacular one that all the students could remember with fondness.

 _I heard other schools do this sort of thing all the time,_ The valedictorian thought, then had to smile a bit. _I salute the Student Councils they have- doing so much work to organize such events every year._

She looked over the list on her clip-board; everything was triple-checked. Catering, tables, decorations, banners, dress-code, chaperones, music… Everything was accounted for.

But for some strange reason, she couldn't help but feel… unprepared.

 _It's strange. I made sure all the groups got their work done properly; I have found a dress to wear for the occasion; we have three teachers to chaperone… yet I feel as if I'm missing something._ She pondered, continuing to search her thoughts for the answer.

Walking down the hall, she looked at a poster… seeing it advertising the dance, the date it was to be held on, a picture of a silhouetted couple dancing underneath the moonlight.

She looked at the picture for a while, arms crossed in consideration. _…Everyone is taking someone, aren't they?_ She asked herself. _Hm. Dances are seen as a romantic occasion, yet others tend to see them as a chance to hang out. I never really gave much consideration to the concept of romance- perhaps I will ask a friend. …Yes, that's it! In order to embrace the festivity, I will need a companion to share it with; I suppose later on I could 'mingle' with the others as well._

 _Question is…_ Mitsuru continued to ponder. _Which of my friends should I take? …It is obvious the Arisato twins, Takeba, and Iori have made arrangements; Yamagishi may be an option as well as Aigis; Mochizuki is ruled out (hmm, it seems I have forgotten to execute him as well; I will have to keep a mental note of that); and Sanada…_

She paused, thinking about Akihiko; the captain of the boxing team did claim he wanted to ask her something… however, due to her busy schedule, she hardly got the chance to speak with him about it. He was probably still getting mobbed by hormonal teenage girls who were appealed by his physique and flawless features. …Mtisuru never could understand why; to her, Akihiko just seemed like another boy. Why did others have to judge someone by their appearance in order to find them attractive?

Mitsuru wouldn't say she was attracted to him, but admired his determination and intelligence; she also took note of what a good friend he was towards the others, as well as being a good male role-model for Ken via helping him out often. If the girls who hounded him the other day took time to know him, perhaps they would not get so wound up at the mere sight of him, but see him more as the kind of guy they could befriend.

Perhaps she should…

"Ah, President Kirijo, there you are." Came a voice, and the valedictorian turned to see Hidetoshi walking over to her. "I have been looking for you,"

"Oh? Is there something that requires my attention?" Mitsuru asked.

"Not quite, but close. I have been thinking of the dance," The vice-president began to pace, looking at the posters on the wall. "I have heard many students asking one another out on dates for the evening… and I began to ponder. Despite we have three chaperones, there is still a chance a few couples will take means to break regulations and *ahem* 'mess around', out of sight of the supervisors."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"I believe that if some lower-classmen saw such behavior, they would follow suit. It has come to my attention that we will need seniorities to set a better example on how to properly behave at formal events." He then looked at her, grinning. "I believe you and I should go together, in order to show how dance attendants should act."

Mitsuru arched an eyebrow. "You are asking to take me to the dance?"

"Yes. Of course, not as a romantic companion, but more as a partner in maintaining a proper image for the student body. After all, many people admire your conduct, and I am one to hold a responsible reputation; if lower-classmen saw how well we behaved, they would get the idea that they will become as successful and respected in their senior years if they followed our example,"

Mitsuru considered this. She did want to set a good example for the student-body. After all, it was her job as a valedictorian to take care of her fellow students and show them that school is not just a place for hanging out, but also for hard work and good conduct.

Yet at the same time, she wanted to experience her first highschool dance as a real teenager. Yes, she had responsibilities, but she also wanted to show she wasn't just some upperclassmen others had to fear; she wanted to show that, even though she had seniority, she was still a teenager like anyone else. She realized she had been acting so much like an adult since freshman year, always serious about her studies and earning everyone's respect; but now… she wanted to show she was also a person they could trust and open up to.

Kind of like Akihiko… He was a team-captain, had great academics, but everyone looked up to him because of what a good friend he was- helping others out, hanging out, cracking jokes, having fun, yet also stern enough to let others know that he was not one to push around.

Mitsuru was only half of that…

"Well, President, what do you say?" Hidetoshi asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Would you like to accompany me to the dance?"

"Well, I…" Mitsuru began to say.

" _Mitsuru, wait!"_

"What on Earth…?!" Hidetoshi sputtered, looking over.

"Huh? …Akihiko?" Mitsuru gasped, turning to see Akihiko standing by a corner. Had he been listening?

Akihiko ran up, a blush to his face. "I… I wanted to ask you to the dance!" he stated, throwing the words out as if they had been trapped in his mouth for eons.

"Akihiko…" Mitsuru looked at him, a bit surprised. So this had been the important question he had wanted to ask. Studying the expression on his face, it was easy to tell he had wanted to ask it for some time… He had that determined look in his eye, yet there was a trace of worry, in case she would say no.

But, why would he be worried if she said 'no'? They were just friends…

At least, that's how she had always seen it.

Akihiko, it seemed, had seen her as something more… Funny, she never really noticed. How long had he liked her this much?

"Ah ha ha ha! Oh, Sanada-san, I must say you ARE amusing," Hidetoshi chuckled, before Mitsuru could give a response. "Did you honestly think that, just because you have the reputation of the most popular boy in school, that you believed you could ask out the student-council president? …Don't you think your pride has gone far enough? You don't need to use this dance as an opportunity to show off,"

"W-What?! That's not why I'm asking her!" Akihiko snapped. "I'm asking her, because… because…" his face was blushing deeper.

"Akihiko…? Do you…?" Mitsuru whispered.

"Oh, come off it, Sanada." Hidetoshi crossed his arms, arrogantly. "Mitsuru has a reputation as a valedictorian; if everyone saw her at the dance with some jock, people would think little of her. If she were to go, she would have to go with someone who has their priorities straight in order to maintain a good image,"

Akihiko clenched his fists. "It's a dance, Hidetoshi, not some business meeting! It's a chance for students to unwind and hang out- it has nothing to do about maintaining an image… And even if it was, so what?! Mitsuru's the smartest, strongest, and most respected senior at this school- no one would care who she took to the dance, because she's all about taking care of others, not keeping her pride in check!" he looked at Mitsuru once more. "That's… That's why I wanted to ask you. You're not only the best senior at this school… but the best friend I've ever made. I can't see myself going with anyone else but you,"

Hidetoshi scoffed. "Those touching lines may work on other girls, Sanada, but Mitsuru is too smart to fall for-"

"That is enough, Odagishi!" Mitsuru snapped, glaring at the vice-president. "If maintaining an image is the only reason why you would ask me to the dance, it is quite clear that you are the one who has too much pride. Also, if you are to EVER speak to one of my closest friends like that again, you can be certain that your position on the student-council will be terminated!"

Hidetoshi gawked. "W-What?! But… President Kirijo…!"

"I will not speak with you about it any further. As Akihiko has mentioned, the dance is for students to enjoy themselves. We have chaperones to make sure everything stays in order, I believe members of the student-council should be allowed to take part in the occasion and enjoy themselves, as well."

Hidetoshi sneered. "Fine. …I will sign up as a student-chaperone then. Attending the dance as a participant would cause me to let my guard down, anyway." With that, he walked off.

Mitsuru then turned to Akihiko. "As for your offer, Akihiko… I accept."

"R-Really?" Akihiko asked; the expression in his face gave Mitsuru the hint that he believed he was dreaming.

"Of course. I couldn't see myself going with anyone else, either. You are a good friend… and may also be of help in showing me how to 'mellow down' at a school dance,"

"A-Alright…" Akihiko rubbed the back of his neck. "So… you just want to go as friends, right? That's cool. That way no one gets the wrong-"

She took him by the hand. "I prefer going as a date. I believe it will be best to experience that with you, as well. …Perhaps we could get some practice in before the dance. Is that alright?"

The boxing-champion's eyes widened, as a heart appeared over his head. "You're… asking me… on a date?"

"Yes. Yes I am," Mitsuru smiled, realizing the situation. She found it to be quite a wonderful feeling. However, she noticed Akihiko seemed a bit… unwell. "Um, Sanada? Are you alright?"

"Yes… I'm fantastic! …Mitsuru?"

"Yes?"

"…watch out…"

*Thud!*

Mitsuru took a step back, as Akihiko fainted. "Oh my gosh! …I'd better get the nurse," She walked down the hall. "I wonder what caused him to pass out like that?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shinjiro hung around the back alley at Port Island Station, having decided to skip his afternoon class. It was just a study-period, and he managed to keep his grades up enough so, even if he missed a few classes, he would still be graduating.

He sat on the steps, looking up at the blue sky, seeing a couple clouds passing by. _Maybe I should swing by the Dorm and take Koromaru on a walk,_ he thought. _It's a nice day out… He's probably bored, hanging around the Shrine until everyone gets home. I wonder if we shouldn't find another dog for him to hang out with, so he doesn't feel so lonely…_

He smiled a little at the thought, imagining bringing home another Sheba Inu to befriend Koromaru; if he got a female, chances were the two would go at it, and before long they would have a litter of puppies at the Dorm. Cute, fluffy little puppies…

He shook his head, scowling. He couldn't let fluffy thoughts like that wander around his mind in public; it was only okay if he were with Yuki. She knew about his love for animals, but wouldn't poke fun at a tough guy like him for having a soft spot like that, and was actually glad he was comfortable with her enough to share his secret with her. Hell, she thought it only made him more appealing!

 _(a/n: Tough guy who carries around an axe, knocks out people with a head-butt, yet also loves animals? Yes please! …*sorry, Junpei*)_

But he couldn't let anyone else know that. If people figured he was going soft, God knows what would happen. It wasn't really the ridicule that concerned him most, but what rival thugs would do in order to exploit his weakness. Hurt Koromaru? Ken? Yuki? No way in hell would he let anyone he loved get hurt because of his secret.

Such as why he never asked Yuki to the dance. He wanted to- hell, everyone knew they were a couple already, so it seemed obvious. But he couldn't- he was okay with having a girlfriend because his tough reputation made it easy to keep her safe. No one dared to harm Yuki, knowing she was Shinji's girl!

Yet if he went to the dance with her… fuck, some asshole would think he wasn't that tough. Maybe even think he loved her so much to show some weakness… then kidnap her, maybe rape her, just to mess with Shinji. True, he would rip off their dicks and shove them down their throats, but it wouldn't matter if they died- they still hurt Yuki.

He wanted to keep things as they were- the fact that they were a couple and no one could touch Yuki, but not too close so that she would be Shinji's Achilles Heel.

Even though she already was… but he couldn't let everyone know that.

Unbeknownst to him, someone already had it figured out… and was ready to mess with the punk.

"Skipping classes again, I see," came a smug voice, and Shinji looked over, scowling at the shirtless hippie that approached him.

"You're one to talk, Takaya." Shinji sneered.

"Come now, no need to act like a badass. We're both friends,"

"Just because we acted together doesn't make us friends. Don't you have someone else to annoy?"

"Not today. I've been quite busy, preparing for the dance," Takaya began to pace in front of him, making casual gestures with his hands. "Typical things- helping with the décor, looking for a nice outfit, teasing Jin about going... little things like that. All I need now is a date,"

"Tch. Save it for someone who cares." Shinji then stood up to leave.

"Oh, you don't care? …That's a relief."

The punk gave him a look. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I heard that you're not going to the dance… yet Yuki seems to want to go. Now, I'm sure she may just go with a friend, of course, so not to upset her dear boyfriend… but, so many of her friends already have dates. I figured, for the evening, I could be her date." He gave a smug grin. "After all, I'm sure she'd like to go with someone who's open to the idea…"

Shinji gave him a death-glare. "Don't even try it… Yuki wouldn't go with you anyway, you're an asshole!"

"Am I? You're the one who won't go out with your own girl, just to save-face. Plus, with my charisma, I'm sure I could persuade her into going with me," his grin widened. "Perhaps… I could even persuade her into doing anything…"

"Go to hell!"

*BAM!*

Shinji punched Takaya in the side of the face, making the charismatic asshole hit the pavement.

( _a/n: *round of applause*)_

"Keep away from my girl," Shinji growled, before storming off.

Takaya sat up, rubbing the side of his face, though still grinned. "Well. Someone lost their sense of humor," he said to himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Yukari sat in the lounge that Saturday afternoon. There was only one more week until the dance… yet she still hadn't asked Makoto. Granted, she had been busy with Archery practice and helping with the dance, but she couldn't deny that she hadn't taken any spare time to take the male protagonist aside and talk to him!

He was up his room now…

The others were busy with their own things- Mitsuru was in her room, relaxing in the tub; Akihiko was at Boxing practice (and she noticed he seemed to be smiling a lot more lately); Ken was hanging out with Pharos, the two boys having taken up 'roller-hockey'… which startled her a bit, hoping they wouldn't do it in the streets; Aigis was walking Koromaru; Fuuka had been hanging out at the manga-café more often lately; Yuki was playing videogames; Shinji was out; and Junpei was on a date with Chidori.

There was no reason she couldn't just go up and talk with him in private.

 _Just do it and get it over with!_ Yukari snapped at herself, forcing her legs to stand up, and walking to the stairs…

*Knock Knock Knock*

Oh, just great! She finally gathered the courage to go talk to Makoto, and then there's someone at the door!

Sighing bitterly, she walked over. _I swear to God, if Junpei just forgot his key again…!_ She thought, wanting to punch someone right now.

Opening the door, she had a great opportunity.

There stood Ryoji… who immediately shielded his face. "Augh! Yuka-tan! Don't hurt me- I come in peace!" he stammered, as if having expected one of the guys to answer.

Yukari only glared. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't strangle you with your own scarf," she sneered.

"W-Well… Junpei already tried it once… *ahem* Look, first of all, I want to apologize for what happened at the mall. I wandered into the women's changing room by accident. When I realized you were all in there, I was just trying to sneak out so you wouldn't kill me over a misunderstanding. …You don't believe me, do you?"

"Nope," Yukari went to slam the door, but Ryoji stuck his foot in the doorway.

*thud!*

"…ow…" Ryoji whimpered as the door smashed his foot.

"Just give it a rest, Ryoji! You peeped, so you pay the price," Yukari snapped.

"One, I already 'paid the price' when your boyfriend and Akihiko-senpai beat me like a piñata! Second, I didn't 'peep' at you… I won't deny I wanted to, but I held back!"

Yukari opened the door, leaning in the doorway now, arms crossed and looking unconvinced. "Did you now? And for what reason?"

Ryoji unleashed a heavy sigh. "For Aigis. I thought about peeping… but all I could imagine was how hurt she would feel if I did; I want to prove I could be a gentleman, but I had to do it by my actions- I had to remind myself that I had to hold back, put my perverse-thoughts out of mind, and at least ATTEMPT to do the right thing… even if I ended up getting my ass kicked anyway. I-I didn't want to do something stupid- I didn't want to fail and upset her…"

Yukari relaxed, listening with intrigue.

"At first I was just trying to prove I could get a date with Aigis, for the simple fact that we worked together; then it turned into me proving to her that I wasn't just some playboy… now I just want to prove that I can be a better man- not just prove it to her or anyone, but to myself." He looked to the ground, the lower half of his face hidden by his scarf. "I know you won't believe me, but that's my goal. …Next time you see Aigis, tell her I'm going to try to be a less of a boy, and more of a man- because of her,"

"Oh, Ryoji…!" Yukari covered her mouth, smiling as her eyes got bubbly. "That was the sweetest thing ever… and it came out of _you_!"

 _(A/n: material borrowed from "The Big Bang Theory" season 5. Please don't sue me!)_

Ryoji nodded. "Thanks… so, um, tell Aigis to give me a call… i-if she wants to give me one last chance…"

"I'm not going to call you," came Aigis's voice from behind. Ryoji jumped, turning around and seeing her standing at the bottom of the steps, Koromaru at her side.

"Aigis!" Yukari exclaimed. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything," Aigis walked up the steps, while Koromaru went back inside the Dorm.

"So… you're not going to call me…" Ryoji repeated, depression in his voice.

"No, because there is no need. I am willing to give you one more chance… I've decided so earlier this week,"

"Really/For real?" Ryoji and Yukari both replied.

Aigis nodded. "Yes. We can meet somewhere tomorrow morning,"

"Tomorrow morning…?" Ryoji repeated, suddenly deep in thought. "Um, could we make it in the afternoon? I, uh, have an appointment."

"You scheduled an appointment on a Sunday?" Yukari questioned; normally Ryoji would try to schedule appointments for during school, in order to get out of his classes. It also couldn't be a doctor or barber-shop appointment, considering they were never open on Sundays, so she was suspicious. "What kind of appointment…?"

"Just with someone important- d-don't worry, it's not another woman, so keep those suspicions out of mind!"

Aigis gave him a wary look. "…If you say so. But if your word proves false, you will not only lose my trust and friendship, but I will also ask Makoto to remove your manhood as well."

A sweat-drop appeared over both Yukari and Ryoji's heads. "Um… no need for the threat, Aigis. I promise I'm telling the truth. …So, um, what time in the afternoon should we meet up?"

"Let's say 2:30, we can meet at the Shrine."

"Okay, sounds good. See you then!" With that, Ryoji walked off, looking quite relieved.

"Speaking of Makoto…" Yukari stated, remembering the task at hand.

Aigis turned to her. "Hmm? What is it, Yukari-san?" she asked.

Yukari turned around, heading for the stairs. "Nothing. There's just something I need to do," she stated, regaining the courage she had earlier- and also a boost of confidence. If Ryoji was brave enough to come to the Dorm just to ask Aigis for one more chance, then her situation would be no sweat!

She walked up the stairs, making a sharp turn down the hall, going straight to Makoto's room, knocking three times. "Makoto, we need to talk!" she called. Hopefully he wasn't wearing his headphones and didn't hear her- it always felt awkward that she had to enter his room unannounced , just because he was listening to his iPod at full blast.

Thankfully her call didn't fall on deaf ears, as he answered the door. It seemed he had been taking a nap, as his hair was a bit disheveled and he had a sleepy-look in his eyes. "Y-Yukari!" he gasped, now wide awake after opening the door.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but… there's just something important I need to talk to you about!" Yukari blurted out, not wanting to hold back any longer. She was thankful she had the restraint not to leap into his arms and confess everything like in those cheesy romance-flicks!

Makoto rubbed the back of his neck, blushing. "Okay… actually, I'm glad you said something. I've been meaning to talk to you for a while," he opened his door, allowing her to enter his room, closing and locking it- he didn't want anyone barging in on their discussion.

Yukari breathed in deep, letting it out slowly. "Makoto-san… we've been hanging out a lot lately… actually, it seems like you're the only guy I hang out with most, alone… I just want to know… _do you still see me as a friend or something more_?" she spoke that last part out quickly, cringing as she did as if bracing herself for impact.

The protagonist looked at the archer, then let out a long sigh… of relief, it sounded. "So we're on the same page… I wanted to ask you the same thing." He walked over and sat down on the bed, looking at a commercial where the business man, Tanaka, was selling useless products to gullible buyers, though he wasn't paying attention. "I figured that you saw us as a couple, but I wasn't so sure- I didn't want to say or do anything and look like an idiot, in case you didn't feel the same way. I should have realized otherwise, after what happened at the mall- but you were so upset that… I just brought up being friends, because…"

"You were worried I was jealous," Yukari finished, rubbing her arm; she then walked over and sat down beside him. "Actually… I was. I thought that you were seeing other girls, and that nothing we shared mattered- but that was because _I_ thought that _you_ thought that we were in a relationship… and in the end, I just felt like an idiot,"

"I guess we both sent the wrong signals…" Makoto took her by the hand. "I'm sorry."

Yukari smiled back at him, blushing. "Me too. …So, do you… would you like to start a relationship?"

"Sure… but let's start off fresh- maybe by going to the dance, together?"

She smiled. "I thought you'd never ask,"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You should have seen the looks on their faces! Mason was practically crying, Nomi was cussing up a storm, Trevor threw his laptop out the window, and Haruki just gawked at the screen the entire period!"

Fuuka smiled; despite she didn't like the idea that Jin hacked a few people, she still appreciated it for the simple fact that the bullies got what they deserved. "I hope they don't learn it was you," she stated.

Jin shrugged. "Maybe they will, maybe they won't… all I know is they'll be spending a LOT of time trying to get their computers working again," he replied, then grinned. "I pretty much deleted their Facebook accounts, too. I considered posting their pictures on a dating-website for ex-convicts, but I figured I'd save that little threat in case they're dumb enough to mess with you again,"

"Me…?" Fuuka blushed. "So, you didn't do it just because they were mean to you…?"

Jin paused. He had been thinking of ways of getting back at his bullies for some time, but never got around to it. It wasn't until they made Fuuka cry that he decided to unleash his wrath… "*ahem* Well, I'm bigger than that- I mean, messing with me is one thing, but picking on a nice girl like you is something I wouldn't let slide!"

She smiled sheepishly. "Um… thank you, Jin."

"No problem,"

They sat in silence after that, reading the mangas in front of them. Ever since they first went to Book On together, Jin developed a habit in asking Fuuka if she wanted to hang out with him at the manga-café after school, when they both had free time on their hands. During these times, the computer-hacker began to open up a little more- listening to her stories while sharing a bit of his, exchanging opinions on certain subjects, what their favorite parts of the game were (Fuuka's was the trip to Yakushima, Jin's was the battle on the Moonlight Bridge *namely because he got to make Takaya fall of the edge*).

After talking so much about their interests… they were starting to run out of conversation topics.

This unnerved him a bit. He didn't want to have reason to stop hanging out with someone… especially Fuuka. When they weren't hanging out or talking to each other, he found himself blushing at the mere thought of her.

 _Maybe… perhaps… I should ask her on a date?_ Jin wondered. The mere idea made him queasy- hanging out as friends was one thing, but going out with her was foreign territory he was not ready to set foot on. _No… it's better that we stay at this pace. I mean, she probably doesn't even-_

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Fuuka reached into her bag, pulling out a new head-set! "I got you this,"

Jin's eyes widened. "You bought me a new headset?" he questioned, holding the gift in his hands.

"W-Well, not really… It's an old pair of Yuki's. She claimed she never used them, and that I could experiment with them. I started working on them some time ago, but forgot about them until recently. When I noticed you were having trouble with yours, well… I decided to finish working on them. I figured, in case your headphones stopped working, or if you needed a back-up pair, that you would like them…"

Jin plugged the headset into his laptop, testing them out. "They're amazing! The sound is coming in clear, the mic appears to be working… and you really want me to have them?"

"Well, yeah… it's the least I can do, since you helped me out." She couldn't stop blushing.

Neither could Jin. "Wow, Fuuka. I… I don't know what to say…"

"I say _Blue Exorcist_ beats _Black Butler_ any day!" came a voice from the shop's entrance. A familiar voice.

"I never could get into that manga. I mean, someone being the son of the devil? That's just too twisted for my tastes," came another familiar voice.

"Junpei?" Fuuka guessed, looking over.

"Chidori?" Jin gasped, never suspecting someone they knew would be coming here!

"Oh, like the concept of a ten-year-old selling his soul is any better!" Junpei was retorting.

Chidori sighed. "Alright, let's just stick to our own manga preferences, and agree to disagree." She stated, not wanting to argue with her boyfriend about which is the better manga (this time).

"Fine… at least we can both agree _Assassination Classroom_ is a kickass-" he paused, looking over. "…series? …Fuuka?"

Chidori followed his gaze. "Huh? Jin-san? What are you both doing here?"

Jin ducked down behind his laptop screen. "I, uh, needed wi-fi access… I just ran into Fuuka and we were just talking," he answered, hoping they wouldn't see his blushing face. _Dammit, this is embarrassing!_

"Yeah, we were comparing a few mangas, too." Fuuka added. "Which do you two think is better? _Fullmetal Alchemist_ , or _Ghost in a Shell?"_

"I haven't read either of them," Chidori answered. "Are they any good?"

"FMA is pretty cool," Junpei said, then grinned. "You should check out the anime- Edward Elric sounds awesome!"

 _(A/n: Those who get the connection get a cookie)_

"Hey, do you two want to hang out with us?" Fuuka asked.

"Sure, I don't see why-" Chidori began to say.

"You guys go ahead. I, um, need to get home." Jin replied quickly, picking up his laptop and rushing out the door.

"Huh? …Jin!" Fuuka called.

"Wow. What was his rush?" Junpei questioned.

Jin closed his laptop, stuffing it hastily into its case before running down the spiraling metal staircase, and sprinting down the sidewalk, running until he was on the monorail heading to Port Island Station.

He didn't have reason to run away; after all, he worked with Chidori and Junpei often during the game… but if they caught him blushing while sitting with Fuuka, they would start to get ideas- Chidori he didn't worry too much about, but Junpei wasn't one to keep his mouth shut about this sort of thing. Wasn't he known for starting most of the couple-rumors at Gekkoukan High? That's probably how the Yukari-and-Makoto ship got started! He didn't want everyone to assume he had feelings for Fuuka!

…

Did he, though?

He realized he was still wearing the headset, and took it off. He wasn't used to this sort of feeling- it was all new to him. Sure, he had seen people hang out and go on dates, but he never figured he would, someday… Hell, he barely hung out with anyone, outside of rehearsing scenes, always too serious about his schoolwork and getting his lines right.

Sure, he laughed whenever the others would joke around, and there were times when he would hang out with the others in a group… but he mostly kept quiet, unless spoken to, and even then he didn't have much to say.

Takaya would often try to force him out of his comfort-zone, dragging him to Club Escapade to loosen up (even though they just kept getting kicked out for being underage), and always poked fun at him, trying to get him to loosen up. "Stop being a stick in the mud- you need to live in the now, while you're still young!" his co-star would tell him from time to time. Maybe if he didn't act like a dick-friend, Jin would have listened to him.

It wasn't until he met Fuuka that he began to feel more connected to someone. She was a little like him when she first started out, he heard- very shy and not socializing much, but once she started working with everyone, she began to open up more, gaining more friends and making plans for weekends and just… having fun.

Just like what he was hoping to do… but he chose to stay a wall-flower.

He shook his head. _Why am I being such an idiot? So what if a rumor gets started- it's better than people seeing me as an anti-social nerd!_ He told himself.

Once the monorail stopped, he took out his cell-phone, deciding to send a message to Fuuka, apologizing for ditching her and asking if she (and the others, if they were still there) wanted to meet at Paulownia Mall, offering to treat them to dinner to make up for his rude action…

"Who are you texting?"

"Gah!" Jin nearly dropped his cell-phone… and turned around, seeing Takaya walking behind him. "Geez, Takaya, stop sneaking up like that! Shirtless, appearing out of nowhere- just throw on some glitter and people will be confusing you for Edward Cullen!"

Takaya rolled his eyes yet still grinned… and quickly snagged Jin's cell-phone. "…Ah, the Yamagishi-girl, huh?"

"Hey! Give that back!"

"So you want her to meet you at the mall, hmm? …You know, I haven't seen you in the nerd-lab lately, Jin. Is this the reason? Have you've finally found a girlfriend?"

Jin blushed. "I'm not just asking Fuuka, I'm asking Chidori and Junpei too-"

"Yet the message is only being sent to Fuuka… Here, I'll send it for you," he then began texting.

"Takaya, you ass-!" Jin tried to swipe his cell-phone back, but Takaya kept his arms out of reach.

"There. Sent." Takaya tossed it back to him- Jin nearly missed it.

Looking at the message, he paled…

 _[Would you like to go to the dance with me?] –Jin_

"You… you creep! Why'd you send that?!" Jin snarled, his face red with both fury and embarrassment.

"Just helping you break the ice," Takaya chuckled.

"Baka! She's going to freak out!" Jin began to rapidly text Fuuka a new message about Takaya's prank…

*beep! beep!*

The screen went blank. The battery had died!

Jin snarled in frustration.

Takaya merely patted him on the head. "You'll thank me later… After all, it wasn't like you would succeed in asking out a girl on your own. You're just too socially inept,"

"BASTARD!" Jin screamed, swinging his fist-

Takaya merely stepped out of his way, standing in the middle of the sidewalk. "Ha! Missed-"

"LOOK OUT!" came a shout… as a small ball rolled past Takaya.

"What the-?"

Everything else happened within two seconds. All Jin saw was Ken Amada rolling downhill with a long hockey-stick, trying to move to the side so not to crash into anyone…

His hockey-stick was a bit cumbersome, as he was having trouble lifting it away-

*BAM!*

*THUD!*

In other words, Ken [accidentally] struck Takaya behind the knees with a hockey-stick at Mach 4; the hippie himself landed on his back on the pavement, swirls in his eyes (and perhaps his legs broken).

Ken swerved, catching a light-post to force himself to stop. "Oh my gosh! Sorry, Takaya! Are you okay?!" he gasped.

"Ugn… I'm alright…" Takaya groaned, lifting his head.

"WATCH OUT!"

Takaya looked behind him, seeing Pharos rolling down next-

*Zoom!*

Apparently faster than Ken, as the Mysterious Boy ended up running over Takaya completely… leaving tracks down his body. Like Ken, he managed to grab onto the light-post and stop himself. "Are you alright?!" he gasped.

"I think…" Takaya groaned.

"Arf! Arf!"

Everyone looked, seeing Koromaru rolling down on a skateboard!

You can guess what happened.

The little Sheba Inu crashed onto Takaya, the front of the skateboard hitting his head and flipping over- Koromaru flew through the air and landed in Jin's arms, while the skateboard landed on Takaya's stomach.

"Um… senpai?" Ken whispered, figuring it would be stupid to ask if the hippie was alright.

"…medic…" Takaya slurred before losing consciousness.

"I told you we were too close to the hill…" Pharos whispered to Ken.

"Shush!" Ken hissed, then turned to Jin. "Uh, c-could you call an ambulance… a-and just say he was hit by a bus?"

Jin… well, he was leaning against the wall, trying to keep from laughing. Koromaru, who now sat in front of him, cocked his head. "S-Sure! No… problem!" the computer-hacker exclaimed, bursting out laughing. "Oh… wait… m-my cell-phone (hee hee) battery is dead! (ha ha!)"

"Um… are you okay, Jin-senpai?" Pharos asked.

"Trust me… I've never felt better!" he handed Ken a couple yen. "G-Go to the payphone down the street (ha ha) and c-call an ambulance!"

"O-kay then…" Ken said, wondering what the heck was so funny.

After the boys called for an ambulance, Jin went back to the Station, catching a monorail back to Iwatodai Station. Since he wouldn't be able to send Fuuka a text message, he would have to talk to her face-to-face about Takaya's prank.

Once he reached the strip mall, Book On was already closed; chances were, she was back at the Dorm. Sighing, he decided to head home, figuring he would call her…

"'Sup, dude?"

"Junpei?" Jin questioned, looking ahead and seeing the class-clown, on his way out from Wild Duck Burger. "You're still here?"

"Yeah, the girls decided to head home ten minutes ago; I was still hungry, so I decided to grab something to eat," he then gave Jin a curious look- not a joking one, either. "But, before they left, Fuuka got a text message from you…"

Jin groaned. "Takaya sent it… I was trying to invite you guys to meet me at the mall to make up for ditching you this afternoon, but the bastard swiped my phone and changed the message before I could finish it."

Junpei rolled his eyes. "Figures- don't let it get to you. He's been giving everyone a hard time because of the dance-hype; he likes to tease everyone about taking dates, so I'm guessing he's just jealous. …So, why'd you run out of the manga-shop? You looked like the mafia was after you or something!"

Jin shook his head. "I just… didn't want you guys to know Fuuka and I were hanging out- we were, just as friends, but…"

"Ah, so you thought we'd see you as a couple, huh?" Junpei grinned, then gave him a pat on the back. "Heh heh, don't worry, amigo, I wouldn't spread a rumor like that. Especially for Fuuka's sake, she's already been given enough grief in the past,"

"So I can relate… How did she respond to the message?"

"She was surprised; she told us you two had been hanging out, but didn't expect you to be so forward… and Chidori guessed it was a prank." He rubbed the back of his neck. "(…guess I owe her 500 yen…) Anyway, Fuuka agreed that might have been the case… but you never sent another message about it, so she might have thought you were serious."

Jin sighed. "My phone died… Will you tell her I'll call her later tonight?"

Junpei shrugged. "Sure, no problem." He then grinned. "If you want, the guys and I can get back at Takaya for you, too. Not just for snatching your phone, but messing with Fuuka too."

Jin cracked a grin."It's okay… Ken, Pharos, and Koromaru already took the bastard down, for me."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Yuki and Shinji were at the Shrine, hanging out on the steps. Having heard that Yukari finally worked up the nerve to ask Makoto if he wanted to be in a relationship, she knew it was time for her to hold up her end of their bet and ask Shinji to the dance…

"So… everyone's going to the dance next weekend," The female-lead spoke up, keeping her voice in a 'Like I Care' kind of tone. Her boyfriend only shrugged in nonchalance; best to not beat it around the bush. "You… want to go, together? You know, just to check it out. I heard the catering-team ordered a good spread,"

"Nah. I don't want to blow money on some suit, just to hang around at Gekko's Prom-attempt for a few minutes. …You can go if you want." He leaned back, pulling his hat over his eyes. "It's fine with me if you want to dress up and hang out with everyone; but it's not my sort of thing,"

Yuki slouched. "…but… I'd like to go with you. You wouldn't have to wear a tuxedo or anything- Mitsuru knows you well enough to let that slide. And… you could just make the alibi that you came with me to make sure a few creeps kept away,"

He scoffed. "Everyone already knows you're my girlfriend, Yu. That's enough to warn them to keep their distance. You don't have to go to the dance with me for any reason,"

Shinji suddenly found his beanie getting ripped off his head, uncovering his eyes so that he could see Yuki's unnerved expression. "I WANT to go to the dance with you! Dammit, Shinjiro…!" she threw his hat at him.

He looked at her, surprised. He never saw Yuki act this way before."Yuki…?!"

Yuki's fists shook- she wanted to keep calm, to accept that her boyfriend wasn't interested in the dance… but the way he said it just rubbed her the wrong way. "Look. I get it. You're a tough-guy. Everyone fears you (except Akihiko and Mitsuru-senpai), and being your girlfriend pretty much gives me invincibility…. But it doesn't matter if you don't SHOW it! I've seen the sensitive side of you, and I see nothing wrong-!"

Shinji stood up, giving her a look. "You know why I can't 'show' it? Because people would use it against me, that's why! I don't want some thug forcing himself between your legs just 'cuz he knows it would hurt me!"

"Shinji, it would be worse if you didn't go- if everyone saw that you were 'too tough' to take me to a dance… or hold me in public…or do something special…" she began to wince. "…they would think that… you didn't love me… so you wouldn't care if they hurt me or not…"

Shinji stared, only listening.

"But… if they saw that if you loved me enough to surrender your pride… they'd know how much I meant to you- they wouldn't even look at me, knowing that if they so much as had one dirty thought you'd rip their lungs out!" She shook her head. "...but… I don't even know that, now." she then started to walk away. "Forget I even asked,"

Shinji watched her go, his beanie clenched in his fists. His girlfriend had a point… but he couldn't take her now; if she figured he was taking her out of guilt, he'd lose her for sure.

He walked down the steps, deciding to take a long walk to clear his head.

As for Yuki, she kept running until she reached the Dorm, running through the lounge and up the stairs until she was on the fifth floor. If anyone saw her running by, they would have figured she was in her room, so she chose to go up higher.

She went onto the roof, sitting down in a lawn chair- Junpei had placed a couple up on the roof, figuring it made for a great hang-out point. She then sat down, pulling her legs up to her chest and sobbing quietly.

 _Why… why did I have to lose my cool like that?_ She demanded from herself, but couldn't decide on an answer. Was it because he seemed nonchalant about her feelings? Because she was sick of his punk-attitude and remarks? She didn't know. She ended up throwing words at him to make him feel ashamed… but in turn she felt rotten. _I feel like a total brat…_

"What's wrong?"

Yuki gasped, looking over… seeing Pharos standing there, a pair of roller-blades hanging over his shoulder and a hockey-stick in his hand. "Geez, Pharos… s-stop sneaking up on me like that!" she said, her voice a bit raspy from her sobbing. She had to get a bell for this kid! "Nothing's wrong, I'm just… not feeling too good,"

"I see… you must feel awful, if you're crying." Pharos walked over to the other chair, sitting down. "But, if you were that sick, wouldn't you rather be in bed than out on the rooftop? It's supposed to be cold tonight,"

"I-I'm not sick… it's just… it's really personal, okay?" she then arched an eyebrow. "…what are you doing on the rooftop with rollerblades, anyway?"

"Ken and I have been trying out roller-hockey. I decided to come up here to practice, since my mom doesn't let me do it in the driveway- at least, not since I accidentally broke the car's windshield…"

Yuki shook her head. "It's dangerous to practice on the roof. You could go over the edge," She sniffled.

"I wasn't going to skate all over- I was just going to practice my swings. …Are you sure you're okay, Yuki-sama? You seem… hurt."

"I-I'm okay, Pharos. Really," She forced a smile.

The Mysterious Boy only shook his head; he reached into his pocket, handing her a handkerchief. "I'm afraid I don't believe you. …Here, wipe your eyes."

She accepted it, wiping her tears away, and blowing her nose a bit. "Let me guess… you're not going to leave until I say something?"

"Nope. …Well, unless you choose to stay silent until 8 PM. I can't stay at the Dorm long tonight- I have to get up early tomorrow,"

Yuki looked at her watch; it was only 6:30. Sighing, she leaned back in the chair. "I don't know if you'll understand… but I'm having problems with my boyfriend,"

Pharos' cocked his head. "What kind of problems?"

"Well… I know we've been dating for a few weeks now, but… lately he doesn't treat me like a girlfriend. I mean, I'm not asking for him to bring me flowers or take me to some fancy restaurant, I'm not into that kind of mush; but, I'd like him to show he loves me a little more often. Curl up on the couch and watch movies together, hold my hand once in a while when we go on walks… take me to the dance… and just say he loves me every night." She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Pharos. You probably didn't want to hear so much,"

"It's fine," Pharos leaned back, looking up at the stars. "You're dating Shinjiro-senpai, right? I can understand your predicament. He has a tough reputation to uphold, so showing any signs of sensitivity could corrupt that, perhaps even put his loved ones in danger; on the other hand, if he did not show how much you meant to him, not only would your relationship fail, but someone else would try to steal him away from you, or vice-versa,"

Yuki blinked. The kid was a mind-reader! "Yeah… actually, that's kind of what I told him. I said if he didn't show he loved me enough, some goon would think he didn't care what happened to me, and I'd get hurt even worse. …I feel bad, throwing guilt at him like that…"

"The lack of sensitivity must have gotten to you," Pharos patted her on the shoulder. "But, it's okay. You can both apologize to each other and start again- now that he knows you yearn for his affection, and you understand his boundaries. I know you two can work something out- that's what love is about, right? Making compromises in order to keep each other happy,"

She nodded. "Yeah… you've got a point. Heh. You sure have a lot of romantic advice for someone who doesn't have a girlfriend, yet."

Pharos beamed. "Oh, but I will, soon! There's this girl in my class I really like. I've been hanging out with her during Recess, helping her with homework, and sharing my lunch with her. I bought her a gift the other day, and she said she wants me to meet her at the mall tomorrow afternoon! …She's into roller-hockey, too- that's why I've been playing it with Ken. If I'm good enough, we could hang out more often!"

"Wow, Pharos! That's great! I'm happy for you," she gave him a stern look, though still smiled. "But remember: if you want to keep a girlfriend, you have to treat her right… otherwise you'll be having as much trouble as your big brother is when you get in high school!"

Pharos chuckled. "Ryoji is actually the reason I got this far- he's been giving me some good tips on how to make her happy… I think he got some ideas while trying to be a gentleman for Aigis-san, too." He then stood up. "Well, I'd better go now. I can practice another day. Good luck, Yuki!"

Yuki waved to him as he left. "You too, Pharos," she then looked up at the stars, seeing them twinkling. "Compromise, huh? Hmm…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was his final chance. He couldn't take any risks!

…yet he ended up being late. It was after 3 o'clock, as Ryoji ran as fast as he could to the Naganaki Shrine. Heaven forbid Aigis thought he forgot- or worse, was two-timing her! The monorail at Port Island Station had been delayed; by the time it reached the station, there was a line of people waiting to get on board.

Ryoji ended up having to wait for the second train, as the first one ended up packed.

That was at 2:45. He wasn't too far behind…

Then he saw something interesting.

Near Octopia, sitting on a bench, was Fuuka… beside her, Jin. "So… it was a prank, huh?" Fuuka was asking, seeming a bit disappointed. "I figured as much…"

"Yeah. I'm sorry." Jin answered, rubbing his arm. "But… then I began to think… maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we went together. I mean, just as friends, if you were interested."

"Really? Um…" Fuuka seemed to be blushing.

 _Ooh, what have we here?_ Ryoji wondered with intrigue, ducking behind a bush to watch. _Jin-san and Fuuka-kun are having a moment?_

"If you don't want to, that's fine. I just figured it would… make up for my behavior yesterday,"

"Y-You already apologized on the phone, last night. And… I also understand," Fuuka looked at her food. "You've never hung out with many people, have you?"

Jin flinched, pushing up his glasses when they slipped a little. "Geez, is it that noticeable?!"

"N-No! I only figured it out because… I never did, either. My parents used to always pressure me into working hard and being successful, and all the stress caused me to shy away from others. Pretty soon I had to deal with bullies, up to the point where I became a recluse. …But, I didn't it to be that way forever. That's why I signed up for _Persona 3_ \- I figured I could gain a little confidence that way, and by going to rehearsals I wouldn't have to go home to deal with my parents, or have any trouble with bullies. …Eventually, I forgot about that goal and warmed up to everyone, finally stepping into the light,"

Jin nodded. "That's what I hoped to do… but I never got around to it. My parents are the opposite of yours- they're rich, relying on their investments to take care of them, claiming I didn't have to work so hard because I'd have an inheritance. I knew it was stupid to rely on some inheritance- for all I knew, they'd probably end up losing it all, then where would I be? I signed up to get into Gekkoukan, using my salary from acting to fund for college and a dorm, and working hard so that I would have a few skills once I was out in the real-world… but with all the effort I was throwing in, I lost sight of my own goal- to stop living in the shadows."

"Well… it's not too late to accomplish that goal. You've already made a great start!" Fuuka rested her hand on his. "I like the idea of going to the dance with you, anyway. Hanging out with you is great!"

Jin smiled. "That's why I decided to ask you myself. I'd feel comfortable going with you,"

Fuuka stood up. "Well… I guess we should head to Paulownia Mall then, and find you a nice tuxedo."

Jin sighed. "I hate dressing formal… But, alright. Let's go,"

Ryoji watched them cross the street, grinning to himself. _Wow. Fuuka and Jin… Who would have thought?_ He thought. Then again, they did seem to make a nice couple. He could see them dating….

…

 _OH, SHIT! AIGIS!_

And thus is how he ended up being late, sprinting down the street and having to wait for traffic-lights to change on busy streets, before he was finally at the Shrine.

He ran up the steps, out of breath, seeing Aigis sitting on the swing… watching a video on her iPhone _._ She then looked up, seeing an exhausted Ryoji walking towards her. "Oh, there you are. What took you so long?" she asked.

Ryoji held up a finger while panting, signaling that he had to catch his breath before he could respond. "I'm sorry… *huff huff* I'm late… Train was delayed… *pant pant* saw Fuuka and Jin at the Strip Mall… *wheeze* …ran a whole two miles…" he replied, and practically fell on the bench to rest, thankful that he didn't completely black out. He looked over at Aigis. "So… what are you watching?"

"Just a music-video of my favorite song," Aigis turned the volume up, so that he could hear a little.

Ryoji listened, looking to see who the artist was. "Ah, so you're a Gorillaz fan, huh?"

"Not really. I just like this song. I used to listen to it all the time when I was younger, and it helps me to relax."

"It is pretty relaxing…" Ryoji leaned closer to watch the video- in the bright sunlight, it was hard to see anything on the screen.

Unfortunately, he was a little close to Aigis, a bit out of her comfort-zone. "Ryoji…" She said in warning.

"Yes?" Ryoji turned to look at her, now noticing that if he were any closer their noses would be touching. Blushing, he leaned back. "S-Sorry! I was having trouble seeing the screen."

Aigis tilted the screen. "Is that any better?"

"A little. …This is a really good song. Mind if I show you one of my favorites?"

"Okay… What's it called?"

Ryoji opened his mouth, though paused. "Um… it's kind hard to pronounce and spell. See… it's in another language. I'll have to pull up my account," he pulled out his iPhone, pulling up his own Youtube profile. "Let's see… 'Let's Plays'… 'Anime Reviews'… 'Ecc-' uh, not that one… Aha, here! 'Favorites'!"

He scrolled down the list until he found the song, 'Olet Puolisoni Nyt' by Samuli Putro. Aigis listened to the first verse, giving a nod of intrigue. "Very nice… I didn't think you were into this kind of music," she commented halfway through the song.

"I came across it while I was browsing a few AMV's. I figured I could request it at the dance- see if anyone else liked it,"

"Do you know what it translates to?"

"Well, just the title…" Ryoji pondered. "I think it's… 'You're my spouse, now'."

Aigis looked at him. "Spouse?"

Ryoji blushed again. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not implying anything! I just like the rhythm! …though, now that I think of it, it would be a nice song to dance to at our wedding-"

"Wedding?"

"GAH! I meant 'my' wedding! Not 'our' wedding! I'm sorry, it slipped out by accident! I don't want to marry you…" he continued to blush, mentally kicking himself. "…I mean, not that you wouldn't make a great wife- whoever YOU decide to marry would be quite lucky! I mean you don't have to marry me if you don't want to… N-Not that I'm proposing, I mean we're just friends! I meant… It's just… I… um… oh, look the song's over!" he closed the video out, pocketing his phone.

They both sat there; Aigis had an eyebrow arched, and Ryoji's face had gone from pale to scarlet in just a matter of seconds. _Way to go, 'Romeo'! Real smooth! Why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut?!_ He scolded himself.

"Um… let's listen to your song again…" he stated, hoping to change the subject and never bring it up for as long as he lived. This was beyond embarrassing!

Then he heard something that nearly made his heart stop.

Aigis was giggling!

He looked over at her, surprised. Sure enough, she was laughing- not in a mean-spirited way, but more amused. "That was pretty funny…" she chuckled, trying to stop herself. "I-I'm sorry, Ryoji-san, I'm not laughing at you!"

"D-Don't laugh at all, it's embarrassing!" Ryoji stammered, though was smiling. At least she wasn't mad at him.

"I thought it was adorable." Aigis managed to slow down her giggling. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel awkward,"

Ryoji let out a sigh, his face beginning to return to its normal tone. "It's fine… I was worried you would get pissed," he pulled up his Youtube page again. "You, um, want to watch another video?"

"Sure,"

Ryoji smiled, his finger drifting over the lists on his touchscreen…

There was one little glitch about touch-screens. If your finger is close enough, barely touching the screen, an item ends up getting selected automatically. Such is what happened at this moment.

Instead of his 'Favorites' coming up, he selected a list full of… mature anime scenes.

"What the hell?!" Aigis gasped, looking at the range of videos.

"AUGH! That's not what I meant to select! (fucking touch screens!)" Ryoji cried out, trying to go back, but ended up selecting one of the videos. "Shit! Stop!"

*Crack!*

Aigis slapped the phone out of his hands, making it hit the concrete, the battery falling out. This time she was red in the face- though he didn't know whether it was from embarrassment or anger. From the glare he was receiving, it was clear she was appalled.

Ryoji sat there in a distressed-chibi form, tears flooding out of his wide-bubbly eyes. "…y-you weren't supposed to see that…" he whimpered. He could feel her angry glare burning onto him, feeling as if he were being stabbed through the brain, heart, stomach… and lower regions. Actually, he could be shot dead right now but the pain wouldn't bother him, considering he already felt bad enough.

"Ryoji," Aigis began, her tone firm and filled with disapproval. "I think…"

"You don't have to say anything… I give up!" Ryoji cried. "Every time I get somewhere… I just fuck up… I'm sorry for wasting your time…" he then stood up and ran for the stairs.

 _Why did I bother trying? She already knew I was a pervert… now she's sure of it. That's all she's going to see me as! WHY DID I THINK I COULD CHANGE THAT?!_ He screamed in his head, running down the sidewalk until he was at Iwatodai Station, sitting down on a bench with his face in his hands.

He felt like crying…

"*sob*I should have known… she never liked me…!"

Someone beat him to the punch.

"H-Huh?" Ryoji looked up, seeing someone running by; he only caught a glimpse of a striped shirt. "Pharos? …Pharos!"

The younger brother stopped, turning to look at him. "Big brother…" he gasped. Tear-tracks lined his face.

Ryoji kneeled down in front of him, hands on his shoulders. "What happened? Did someone hurt you?" he glared. "If it was that Teridachi kid again, I'm going to kick his-"

"It was Hana… that girl I told you about…" Pharos sniffled, rubbing his eye.

Ryoji led him over to a bench, sitting down with him. "Tell me everything. What did she do?"

"Well… you know how you took me around the strip mall, and helped me pick out flowers, and practice what all to say to her and everything? …well, I was rehearsing my lines while I waited for her… but she overheard me. She was with some friends… They all started poking fun at me… then… then she told me she didn't really love me. She just hung out with me so I'd help her with her math, and because I was always buying her stuff…"

 _That little bitch…!_ Ryoji thought, angry at the thought of some girl playing his brother like that.

"That's… that's why she asked me to the mall. She was hoping I'd buy stuff for her and her friends. When she learned that I spent my money on the flowers… she told me I was a hopeless loser, and threw them away. Then she told me she already had a boyfriend, and said if I brought this up at school, she'd tell him I was stalking her and she'd have him beat me up… I started to cry, and they just laughed, one of her friends saying 'real men don't cry'…"

"OH, BULLSHIT!" Ryoji ended up shouting. "Forget about her, Ryoji! Girls love it when guys cry! It lets them know that we use our hearts more than our- *ahem* It just lets them know we're more caring than they think. …And if that little brat thinks it's funny to use a nice kid like you and treat you like a tool, then she doesn't deserve to be loved. AND if she tries to send her boyfriend after you- use that hockey-stick and take out his kneecaps… better yet, I'll do it for you, if he's too dumb to realize his 'girlfriend' is nothing but a sl- er, heart-breaker!"

Pharos wiped his nose. "It just hurts…"

The older brother rubbed his back, wrapping his arm around his shoulders in comfort. "I know, and it will… but she's not worth the tears. Don't cry because she hurt you- cry because you wasted a crush on a monster like her." He smiled. "But, don't worry. I know you'll find a girl with a good heart. Don't give up on love too fast… You'll find the right one- you just gotta keep looking,"

"Is that why you asked out so many girls? To find the right one?"

Ryoji rubbed the back of his neck. "Sort of… actually I asked out a lot of girls just because I really, REALLY liked girls, figuring the more I had, the happier I'd be," he shook his head. "But, that was before I found one I liked, who made me forget about the rest. …though, I ended up fouling up." He looked at Pharos. "Promise me this, little bro- don't be like me. Otherwise… you may end up breaking someone's heart, too… as well as your own."

Pharos looked at his brother in surprise. "You mean you broke Aigis' heart?"

"Yeah… and I hate myself for it…"

"Then… why is she watching us?"

"Huh?!" Pharos pointed over at Aigis… who was standing by the top of the steps, watching them. Ryoji's face flushed. "A-Aigis! …G-Geez, Pharos, did you teach her how to sneak up on people?!"

Pharos chuckled, looking over at the blonde girl. "What brings you by, Aigis?" he asked.

"Well, for one thing, your brother left his phone at the Shrine," Aigis replied with a smile, handing Ryoji his phone- the battery and back-plate put back in place. "Second… you didn't let me finish what I was trying to say,"

"What… what was that?" Ryoji asked, cringing.

Aigis sat down on the other side of Pharos, looking at Ryoji. "I was trying to say, I think you should stop watching-" she looked at his little brother, clearing her throat. "…Material like that. If you do, you'll have less chances of being a pervert. …I like seeing the other side of you I had only seen glimpses of,"

"…you want to see me as an awkward goofball?" Ryoji asked.

"Isn't that Junpei's territory?" Pharos joked.

Aigis chuckled. Ryoji blushed, then handed Pharos a handful of yen. "Here, Pharos… why don't you go buy something at the Strip Mall while I talk to Aigis? I'll meet you in front of Wild Duck Burger when I'm done,"

"Okay," Pharos gave a nod to Aigis, then left.

Ryoji sighed. "So… as I was saying, you like seeing me look like an idiot?" he asked Aigis, giving a small grin.

"Ha ha, no- but as I've said before, that is the cutest thing I've ever seen from you," Aigis replied (making Ryoji blush again). "But that's not the only part of you I've seen. …I saw how you helped out Chidori at the mall; and how you were brave enough to talk to Yukari; and just now, you helped Pharos in overcoming his heartbreak… and I suppose he was the 'appointment' you had this morning?"

"Um… yeah. He asked me to help him out, because he thought things were getting serious with that girl, so I promised I'd hang out with him this morning and give him some tips," he looked at the ground. "Actually… most of the credit goes to you. When he asked me, I only thought about what I would do if I could start all-over… I told him that he had to be sincere in his compliments, and not try to buy her love with gifts but just give from the heart, and treat her more as a friend…" he sneered a bit. "…too bad his crush turned out to be a heartless cunt- pardon my French,"

"It's alright. I agree."

"So… I guess I lucked out. If you never saw me being nice like that, I'd never have gotten a second chance at all,"

Aigis smiled. "…and you wouldn't have a date for the dance,"

Ryoji's eyes widened, and he looked at her. "R-Really?! …Wait, say that again. I think my hearing's going. …Is this a dream? Did you actually just knock me unconscious and I'm really in a coma?"

Aigis laughed. "I'm just as surprised as you are. …But, I figured since there is a good side to you… perhaps I would see it more if we spent more time together. Though, there are some conditions,"

"Let's hear them,"

"First, I want you to delete that 'ecchi' playlist from your account- in fact, flag all the videos so they can be removed entirely, and never look up that stuff again. Not just for my sake, but also so you can be a better role-model for Pharos,"

Ryoji took out his phone, beginning to flag every video. "Consider it done! …What else?"

"Second, no more flirting with girls. It's alright if you give them compliments, but keep them friendly and respectful."

"Alright, I can do that,"

"Finally… apologize to every girl you've dated, starting with Yukari, Fuuka, Yuki and Mitsuru-senpai. If we're going to start dating, I want you to have a fresh start with our friends,"

Ryoji nodded. "I will… but, um, c-can you make sure Mitsuru-senpai doesn't execute me? Makoto and Akihiko already gave me enough of a beating as it is,"

"I think she will understand. The guys already assured her it was all a mistake, and that they already assaulted you. Yukari and I also informed her that you did withhold the urge to peep at them as well. …She actually claimed I must have been doing well in bringing out your inner-gentleman,"

Ryoji smiled, thinking about this. "Yeah. …I agree. And… I'm glad that you did. Thank you,"

Aigis gave a nod of approval. "…Well, I'd better get back to the Dorm. Perhaps we can meet after school tomorrow, and find you a tuxedo- I'll make sure you go into the right changing room,"

"Very funny... but okay. It's a date. …I'd better go get Pharos. See you tomorrow!"

With that, they parted ways, the gap between them finally closing.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Days went by, and Friday arrived. Everyone was ready for the dance…

Save for one couple.

Yuki had been trying all week to talk to Shinji… but he wasn't at his usual hang-outs; she hadn't caught him at school (maybe he was skipping again?); and at the Dorm, he seemed absent. If Mitsuru allowed the lower-classmen out past curfew, she'd go out looking for him.

She stood in front of his door now. It was near midnight; everyone was already asleep, wanting to rest up for tomorrow.

She knocked quietly, so no one else would hear. Knowing Shinji well enough, she knew he always snuck out of the Dorm around this time- she knew because he once took her out with her, taking her to the Shrine (Koromaru being the only witness, because- in order to keep him quiet- they brought him along); there they looked at the stars, his arm around her. That was when he kissed her for the first time.

The female-lead looked at the clock on her phone, wondering how late he was going to stay out tonight. She had considered calling him… but felt it would be weak to apologize for the phone. Shinji was the type who preferred face-to-face confrontation.

Yuki looked down the hall at her brother's room, wishing Makoto was at her side for support… He always helped her out before. He was the one who helped her get over her nerves about dating the punk, claiming he wasn't a stone-hearted creep. (He also claimed he would smother him in his sleep if he hurt Yuki… maybe that was another reason Shinji never showed too much affection?)

 _No. This is between me and Shinji. I'll go to Mako-bro if things don't work out,_ she thought, not wanting to drag her brother into the situation unless she was at her wits-end… like how he came to her when he needed advice on how to confess to Yukari. But this situation was different- she just wanted to make amends.

*clomp clomp clomp* came the sound of steel-toed boots from down the hall. In the dim light, she saw the punk coming down the hall, Koromaru at his side and whimpering.

Yuki squinted, noticing Shinji was holding something inside his coat…

Once he was close enough, he noticed Yuki. "What the…? Yuki?" he whispered. "What are you doing?"

Yuki looked at the ground. "I wanted to say… I'm sorry," she replied, quietly. "About last week, I know I sounded like a bitch…"

"Tch. Save it. You had a point, I was an asshole… let's just drop it," he shifted his coat.

Yuki looked up at him… noticing a little nose poking out of his coat. "What do you have in your coat?"

"…" He looked at her, then nodded to his room; she opened his door for him and they went in. He then walked over to his bed, leaning over while opening his coat…

Yuki gasped, while Koromaru gave an excited "Yip!" and rushed over. On the bed was another Sheba Inu- a bit smaller than Koromaru, with a blonde-and-white coat of fur.

"You got another dog…?" Yuki asked, smiling.

"Keep it down, you two," Shinji hissed- referring to Koromaru as well. He looked at the other Sheba Inu. "I found her in an alley last week while I was out; she belonged to this guy who ran a drug-store, but he was out of town… bastard didn't leave enough food or anything out for her. So for the past week, I've been checking up on her. …Finally, tonight, the guy comes back and says I might as well keep her, claiming he didn't want a damaged-dog,"

"Damaged?"

Shinji pointed to the female Sheba-Inu. "Look at her leg. At first I figured she just had a short leg, but I noticed it was just bent upward. The guy said she was abused as a pup and he only took her in out of pity, but she kept pissing everywhere so he had to keep her outside… and she kept getting loose." He knelt down, rubbing the stray's head. "I figured she just needed a good home- maybe even take her to the vet and get her leg checked out, see if she can get surgery or something,"

Yuki knelt down, looking at the new dog. "What's her name?"

"Kinny." Shinji continued to examine her. "She seems fine- she gets along great on just three legs, too."

Koromaru walked over, sniffing Kinny. He began to pant, his tail wagging, and he ran around in a circle, as if asking the girl-dog to play with him. Yuki chuckled. "Calm down, Koromaru- let's give Kinny time to adjust, first. Okay?" she told him, rubbing his head.

The male Sheba Inu whimpered, wanting to play with his new companion immediately, but obeyed.

Shinji rubbed Koromaru's head. "Don't worry, boy. I'm going to make her a bed downstairs by yours- we'll need another dog to help teach her to keep off the furniture," he stood up, taking off his coat. "In the meantime, I'm going to keep her in my room- can't have you producing pups before she's ready,"

"Arf!" Koromaru retorted with a growl in his voice; Yuki could sense he was probably blushing beneath his fur.

Yuki stroked Kinny's fur. "She seems so calm," she noted.

"Dogs can tell when they're in good hands," Shinji replied, sitting down on the bed and stroking Kinny's back.

Near the middle of the female Sheba Inu's spine, the couple touched hands. Yuki blushed, fingers curling in hesitation.

Shinji moved his hand forth, lacing his fingers with her; when she looked up at him, he leaned forth quick and pressed his lips against hers. She felt blood rush to her face, but relaxed, wincing a bit.

He then pulled her into a hug- both of them leaned over Kinny like a human-archway- pulling out of the kiss and resting his chin on her shoulder, rubbing her back.

"Shinji…" Yuki whispered, both out of relief and surprise. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Let's just move on from here," Shinji whispered, smiling a bit. He loved holding her close.

"Okay… but still… I'm sorry for the guilt-trip…"

"Forget about it. I need to hang out with you more anyway- not because of my reputation either; I need to let those hormonal-bitches at school know I'm with you, now that they know Aki's off the market. 'Last thing I need are some squealing girls hounding me all week,"

Yuki grinned, looking at him. "With ME around, they would be committing suicide if they tried,"

Shinji smirked. "Talking tough now, huh? I think we've been hanging out too much,"

Yuki rolled her eyes, then kissed him again. "Get used to it,"

Kinny looked at Koromaru, yipping a bit. _"What the heck is going on?"_ she seemed to be asking.

Koromaru barked in reply. _"I believe it's part of the human-mating ritual,"_ he seemed to reply.

Shinji and Yuki pulled out of their embrace. "So, what do you want to do while everyone's at the dance? We'll have the whole Dorm to ourselves," Yuki asked.

Shinji shrugged. "We can go if you want. Maybe hang for a while… but I'm not wearing a tuxedo. I'm not going THAT far,"

Yuki chuckled. "Fine by me."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~The Big Night~_

Gekkoukan High never looked more astonishing that Saturday night. Paper lanterns, streamers, and multi-colored lights hung over and around the entire schoolyard; at least 5 long tables were lined along both sides of the yard, filled with a variety of food- consisting of seven types of sushi, three kinds of ramen, rice-balls, finger-sandwiches, a couple salad bowls, several chips with several different kinds of dips and salsas, a fondue pot, and of course rows of many desserts- including a chocolate fountain. Outside of punch, the students could also select hot tea, soda, or water.

On the lawn, several circular dining-tables were set up, covered by white satin table-cloths, having steel white-painted decorative chairs sitting around them. Small candles inside circular glass orbs were positioned in the middle in order to add to the décor.

A photographer was also hired to take pictures near the front of the school, which was decorated mostly with flowers and beaded curtains hung in front of the doors. A few girls who arrived early quickly dragged either their boyfriends to take a romantic picture together, or gathered with their friends for a group-photo. The photographer would only be there until 10 PM, so it was no surprise many students wanted to take some good pictures while they could.

A red carpet was also lined down the walkway, so that the students could make an entrance. It was actually donated by Mitsuru, who claimed that they had plenty of unique carpets at home and this one had yet to be used.

"Look at this place, it's amazing!/Wow, it looked better than when we were setting up/Check out the buffet!/Oh, I love the lights they ordered/Let's go take a picture!" was some of the phrases the students exclaimed as they entered through the front gate.

A limousine then pulled up, and all the students turned… seeing Mitsuru walk out wearing a beautiful black dress with long see-through sleeves and a red trim, her hair done up the way she had done it on New Year's Day; Linking arms with her was Akihiko, who was wearing a white tuxedo with a red shirt underneath and black tie, the two of them walking down the red carpet.

"Look, Akihiko came with Mitsuru!/He looks so hansom!/Mitsuru is so lucky…!" Akihiko's 'fan-club' whispered amongst one another.

"Dude, I can't believe they came in a limo- we should've done that!/What's next, a helicopter?/The studio probably let them use it/Think they'll let us have a ride in it later?" a few guys commented.

Coming out of the limousine and down the carpet next was Makoto and Yukari; Makoto wore a dark-blue tuxedo with a white shirt and matching tie; Yukari wore a red, sleeveless dress with a matching shawl, her hair up in a bun, pinned with a rose-clip. She waved to a couple of her girlfriends as they passed, while a few guys gave Makoto a thumbs-up.

Next came Chidori and Junpei. "You think we overdid it with the limo?" Chidori whispered, while lifting up the hem of her dark-purple-light-violet dipped dress, with a tie-around collar to make sure she wouldn't trip (She also had to admit Bebe outdid himself). She wore her hair down, but had it pinned back.

"For Gekkoukan's first dance, I think it made a great touch. Besides, Mitsuru offered us a ride- we couldn't turn down the offer," Junpei replied with a smirk, adjusting the white-tie he wore with his white tuxedo and dark-blue shirt… and still wore his baseball cap.

Next came Fuuka and Jin. Fuuka wore a light-blue dress with long sleeves and a see-through skirt that hung down the waist, and a sparkling headband. Jin wore a black tuxedo with a green shirt and black tie- he rubbed his shoulder, feeling a bit nervous. "I'm not sure I can do this…" he whispered, suddenly having second thoughts.

Fuuka took his hand. "I'm nervous too… but it's alright. I know you'll be fine," she admitted. She then looked over. "There's Takaya,"

Jin looked over… and had to smirk. Takaya had asked two gossiping-girls to the dance, persuading them that they could walk in, both of them clinging to each one of his arms- though now there was a heated debate. "He's dancing with ME first!/I get the first dance!/Back off!/You back off!" both girls were arguing.

"L-Ladies, please! Why don't I just go get you both some punch, first…?!" Takaya was saying, trying to calm the two down… as he was tugged back-and-forth.

 _Serves him right for messing with everyone,_ Jin thought, then walked with Fuuka over to the buffet.

Next out of the limo came Yuki, wearing a velvet-green dress with light-green trim, her hair pulled back by a small clip. Following behind her was Shinji, wearing a dark maroon sweater, black jeans, and a casual black leather jacket (it was as far as he could go without slipping below Mitsuru's dress-code limits). He still wore his beanie, though tied his hair back.

"Look, it's Shinjiro-senpai!/Whoa, never thought he'd come/Of course he would, he's Yuki's boyfriend/Quiet you morons, he'll kill us!" a few people whispered.

Shinji scowled, though Yuki linked her arm with his, giving him a grateful and reassuring smile. He gave a small grin back, nodding, and they walked down the red carpet together.

Finally… the one couple no one expected to see… came Aigis, wearing a sleevless white dress with a gold trim and a black shawl, her hair combed into a short ponytail tied back with a black ribbon; and with her, Ryoji, wearing a dark-gray tuxedo with a light-yellow shirt, black tie, and his scarf, his hair combed back with hair-gel.

"No way! A-Aigis came with Ryoji?!" Kenji gasped, sitting at the DJ booth (he couldn't find a date). He turned to Kaz, who stood nearby. "Um, hey Kaz, you think you could spot me 2000 yen…?"

"Sorry, I'm broke," Kaz replied, walking off with Yuko.

"Everyone's looking at us," Aigis chuckled, a bit amused by everyone's stunned expressions.

"You sure? I figured they were just looking at you," Ryoji replied. "You look gorgeous,"

Aigis smiled. "You clean up very nice yourself,"

"Hey guys! Over here!" Junpei called. "We're all going to take pictures!"

Ryoji stuck out his elbow. "Shall we?" he asked his date.

Aigis linked her arm with his. "We shall," she replied.

Everyone took their share of pictures. First, all the couples took their pictures together, holding hands while standing side-by-side. …Takaya had trouble, as his picture involved the two gossiping-girls trying to yank him closer either one of them.

Afterwards they decided to take some group photos. Shinji, who claimed he would only take a picture with Yuki and that was it, began to walk off… but Akihiko and Yuki dragged him back in front of the camera, the rest of the guys convincing him to do it. (Junpei tried to do bunny-ears to him… when the camera took the picture, it came out as all the guys laughing as the class-clown was elbowed to the side).

The girls took their group-picture next- Yuki doing a peace-sign while sticking her tongue out, with Yukari rolling her eyes, Fuuka giggling, and Mitsuru arching an eyebrow while giving an amused grin.

One more picture involved all the couples standing together. Takaya (mimicking Junpei for a moment) tried to give Jin bunny-ears… only for the hacker to shove him off-screen at the last second, the picture coming out with the rest of the guys standing close to their girls, while Takaya was falling out of the frame, his two dates rushing to catch him.

After that bit of photographic fun, the Persona 3 cast went around to enjoy the dance, either chilling at the buffet or going to the dance-floor.

"Alright, my party-peeps, time to heat things up with a DANCE-OFF!" Kenji announced over the mic. Students cheered, clearing a space on the dance-floor as Kenji put on some dance-remixes.

"Now we're talking!" Junpei exclaimed, then nudged Makoto. "C'mon, Mako-man, let's do this!"

Makoto shrugged. "Alright," he replied, and followed his best friend to the dance floor.

"This… I gotta record," Yukari chuckled, taking out her iPhone.

The two best friends danced against one another, Junpei trying to moon-walk, while Makoto did a forward hand-spring at the end of his turn; the crowd cheered louder for the male-lead. Junpei shrugged it off, claiming they could have a rematch later.

Kaz then tried to participate, going against Keisuke- though after doing a twist his knee began to act up, and Yuko made him sit down at one of the dining tables.

Akihiko decided to take a shot, doing the-worm and trying to break-dance; Takaya stepped up, moving in his way and doing the wave, doing some sort of 'karate-kick'-like moves, but was eventually 'booed' off the dance-floor.

Jin ended up being shoved onto the dance-floor by the hippie, ending up bumping into Yuki, who was participating. He tried to back down, but the crowd wouldn't let him. Yuki herself did her best- though it was tough to do any awesome moves in a dress, she realized, so she stuck with mostly hand movements and spinning-techniques. Jin took a deep breath… then began his own break-dancing routine, going on one-hand while kicking upwards, spinning and 'pushing' upward back onto his feet, ending his turn with a back-flip!

"HOLY…! Where'd you learn those moves?!" Yuki exclaimed, while the crowd cheered.

Jin only shrugged. "My parents made me take aerobics back in Junior High. I figured I'd just put those lessons to good use, for once," he admitted.

"Dude, that was awesome!/You gotta show me how to do those/Yes! I'm not the only guy who had to take aerobics!" a few people said to Jin as he exited the dance-floor.

After a few more students participated in a dance-off (one guy ended up ripping his pants and left), Kenji announced he was taking requests for songs- though they couldn't be explicit, by order of the teachers.

Ryoji walked up to the DJ booth. "Hey, Kenji, I have a song you can play," he said.

Kenji rolled his eyes. "No way, Ryoji, I'd get killed if I played 'The Bad Touch'," he stated.

"Not that one! I had a different one in mind…"

"'The Ding Dong Song' is ruled out too, man."

"That's not it, either-"

Kenji sighed. "Dude, three guys already requested 'Shut Up and Sleep With Me'- I tried to play it, but Miss Toriumi grilled me for it, claiming I'd be sent home! Sorry, man, but no dirty tunes,"

"NO! I'm not requesting anything sexual!" Ryoji flinched, realizing he was a little loud, a few students looking at him before going back to their own things. He sighed, handing Kenji a piece of paper. "Play this song, alright? It's a slow jam,"

Kenji smirked. "Alright! Finally we're getting to the good part of this shindig!"

Ryoji shook his head. "One more thing- upgrade your vocabulary." With that, he walked off, and waited.

After a couple more songs, Kenji made the announcement. "Okay, folks, I think it's time we slowed things down a bit. Guys, grab your girls- Takaya, better hurry up and decide on one of yours- and bring them to the dance-floor to sway to a smooth rhythm…" he then typed the song in to the laptop connected to the stereo-system.

 _[Now Playing: "Melancholy Hill" by The Gorillaz]_

Aigis paused, having been standing by the chocolate fountain, when she heard her favorite song come on. Ryoji then walked over to her, holding out his hand. "So… care to dance?" he asked.

Blushing, she gave a nod, following him to the dance-floor. She rested her hands on his shoulders, while he carefully placed his hands on her waist- she flinched a little, though relaxed. She looked around, seeing that Makoto and Yukari and Junpei and Chidori were already on the dance-floor, moving to the rhythm of the song while holding one another close, as well as several other students.

"Look, they're actually dancing!/Wow, didn't expect that/2000 yen says he tries to grab her butt," a few other students whispered to one another.

Aigis looked to the ground, feeling uneasy. She shut her eyes, only listening to the song, trying to block out everything… though being close to Ryoji made it difficult. "Is everything okay?" Ryoji asked, quietly.

"Um… I just… everyone's making a fuss about us…" Aigis replied. "It's starting to get on my nerves…"

Ryoji cupped her chin between his index finger and thumb, having her look at him. "Don't listen to them. Listen to the song," he then held her hand, his other hand keeping on her waist and pulling her close, as he did a gentle spin with her. "You're a good dancer,"

"T-Thank you," Aigis gave a small smile, relaxing a little.

On the other side of the dance-floor, Mitsuru was watching everyone with interest. Akihiko then walked over to her, a blush to his face. "So… want to dance?" he asked. "The song's almost over,"

Mitsuru rubbed her arm. "I've never really danced before… but I suppose I could try," she answered, moving onto the dance-floor with him. "So… how does it go? I just wrap my arms around your neck like this…?"

"That's right… and I just place my hands on your waist," He did so, trying not to feel tense. He then began to lead her through the dance… though she stepped on his foot. "Ow…!"

"Sorry!"

"Ha ha, it's alright. Just follow my lead…" After a minute (and getting his foot stepped on one more time), she managed to get the hang of it, and the boxing-champion began to feel at-ease.

Mitsuru felt relaxed as well. "This is nice," she looked around at the other dancing couples. "What should I do now?"

Akihiko shrugged. "Whatever you want, there are no rules…"

"I see. So, would this be okay?" She then rested her head on his shoulder.

His face blushed, and he smiled. "That's… perfect," he rested his head against hers, letting out a quiet, relieved sigh. He looked over, seeing Junpei and Chidori dancing nearby- the Gothic Lolita having her head rested on his chest, while the class-clown rested his chin on her head; he looked over at Akihiko, smiling and giving him an encouraging wink.

Makoto held Yukari close, having her pulled closer to him since the song had begun. "Mm… this is great. I'm glad we came together," Yukari whispered, resting her head on his chest.

"Yeah, our relationship is off to a great start," Makoto replied, and held her close, doing a swirl. "And I'll make sure it stays that way,"

"Me too," Yukari looked over, smiling.

Across the dance-floor, Fuuka was with Jin, having shyly asked him if he wanted to dance, which he accepted; at the start of the song, they had kept an arm's length away, his hands on her waist while she kept her hands on his shoulders… but as the song played on, they had moved closer, looking more relaxed than Yukari had ever seen them.

Makoto, in the meantime, was looking across the yard, seeing Yuki standing nearby- she gave him a wave and a smile… though he wondered where her date was. Had he left early?

He felt reassured when Shinji walked over, nodding over to somewhere. Yuki followed him. _Take care of her, Shinji… otherwise I'll kill you with your own axe!_ Makoto thought, though didn't have to worry; he knew his sister was in good hands, and Shinji was smart enough to treat her right. (Though he still always had to make the mental-threats, as any brother would do.)

Aigis looked around the dance-floor at her friends. "Everyone has grown so much closer, haven't they?" she asked Ryoji.

"Yeah… I guess this song can help anyone relax," Ryoji answered, looking at her. "I guess I made a good choice,"

"You requested it?" Aigis asked.

Ryoji nodded. "I figured you'd like it,"

Aigis smiled. "…Then I'll request your song next," she then rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you,"

"Um, you're welcome…" Ryoji found himself blushing, while smiling. _Score!_ He exclaimed in his head… though the soothing melody helped him to tone it down. He shut his eyes, deciding to enjoy the moment, as if it were the only one he'd have.

 _[End Song]_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Where are we going?" Yuki asked, as she followed Shinji out the gate.

"Somewhere else. The dance will be over in an hour, anyway," The punk answered, while texting on his phone. "It's after eleven,"

Yuki shrugged, figuring her boyfriend wanted to leave early and get away from the crowd, which she was okay with. They had spent most of the time by the buffet, talking with their friends or just enjoying the food. He wasn't into dancing, and she didn't want to force him onto the dance-floor (after all, he did more than enough taking pictures).

They got on the monorail to Iwatodai Station, before walking down the street until they got to the Dorm. Yuki let out a quiet sigh, heading upstairs to the third floor, beginning to walk to her room. At least the best part of coming home early was that she could get out of the dress and into some normal clothes…

However, she didn't notice Shinji had followed her, until he grabbed her by the hand. "C'mon," he told her, pulling her to the stairs leading upward.

"Huh? Shinji…?" Yuki gasped. He only gave her a grin, which piqued her interest.

They continued to climb the stairs, until they were on the fifth floor; he then led her out onto the rooftop. There, he stood beside her, looking ahead. "Check out the view. Better than the lights at the dance, right?" he stated.

Yuki looked around, seeing the city lights below; up above, the moon was shining bright as the stars glittered. "Yeah, it's beautiful," she replied. "But… what made you bring me up here?"

Shinji then snapped his fingers… and a slow song began to play.

Yuki looked behind her, seeing Koromaru by a stereo with his paw on the 'play' button, and he was wearing a black bow-tie; with him was Kinny, who wore a pink ribbon. "What are you two doing up here?" The female lead asked, having to chuckle. She looked at Shinji. "What gives?"

Shinji smiled and pulled her close. "I don't need to be at a Prom to dance with you, do I?"

Yuki smiled. "I guess not. …I like it better when it's just you and me,"

"Good… that's how I like it too," With that, he placed his hands on her waist, while she wrapped her arms around him, both of them swaying to the rhythm.

Kinny leaned against Koromaru, both dogs watching the slow-dance, their tails wagging.

Yuki rested her head against Shinji's chest, closing her eyes and smiling; she felt him place a kiss on top of her head. _I don't need anyone to see him do this, because it doesn't matter—he's with me._ She decided, her heart at ease.

…

However, the proof would eventually be shown, as- unbeknownst to the couple- their dance was being record with an iPhone. "We're so going to die if they catch us," Ken whispered to Pharos, who was recording everything.

"Such is why we won't get caught," Pharos replied with a smile. Once he got enough footage, they snuck back downstairs, deciding to keep their recording a secret.

For now.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once the dance was over with, everyone began walking home. Aigis rubbed her shoulders- now that they were done dancing, eating, and mingling, she realized just how cold the night was.

Ryoji noticed this too, then took off his scarf, handing it to her. "Here, this'll keep you warm," he told her.

"Oh. Thank you," Aigis replied, wrapping the scarf around herself.

"Ryoji-kun has really changed, hasn't he?"Chidori asked Junpei, as they watched the action.

"Yeah… though if he changes back, I'll be kicking his ass," Junpei joked.

"Same/Ditto/I'll join you," Makoto, Akihiko, and Jin agreed.

"You've changed a bit as well, Shirato." Mitsuru spoke up. "I never thought you would attend the dance,"

"Heh, I thought the same about you, senpai." Jin replied.

"The credit goes to Fuuka- she helped him loosen-up," Junpei said, giving Fuuka a wink.

Fuuka blushed. "We just hung out together, that's all," she replied.

"Suuuurrrre you did…~"

Jin sneered. "Can it, Stupei- I never saw you hanging out with girls too quick, either." He retorted.

"Hey, I've hung out with plenty of hotties!" Chidori gave him a look, and he cringed. "Butwejuststayedfriends! …Did I mention none of them were as beautiful as Chidori?"

"Duh… because you only hung out with Makoto and Ryoji,"

Junpei, Makoto, and Ryoji all shushed Jin. "Quiet, Jin, the slash-fans will hear you!" Ryoji hissed.

The girls all chuckled. "C'mon, lets get back," Mitsuru said, stretching. "Tonight's event has worn me out,"

"Yeah, and I want to get out of this tux and into bed," Akihiko said.

"*gasp* Akihiko, for shame! You two just started going out!" Junpei joked, ending up elbowed by his friend. "Ow! I'm joking! I'm joking!"

"Let's hurry—these heels are killing me!" Yukari stated.

"I can carry you, if you want," Makoto said with a grin.

Yukari rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Maybe another day,"

Laughing and joking, everyone continued their way to the Dorm; Junpei turned down another street to walk Chidori home; Jin's house was on the way, and he bid goodnight to Fuuka, claiming they could hang out tomorrow, which she agreed, giving him a hug before leaving. He blushed, adjusting his crooked-glasses, before heading inside.

Ryoji walked Aigis up to her room; Yukari and Mitsuru already entered theirs, while the guys were on their own floor. "Well… goodnight, Aigis. I had a good time," Ryoji said, holding out his hand to shake hers- deciding to try to keep it casual.

*smooch*

Aigis leaned forth and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Me too. Goodnight, Ryoji-kun." She said, before closing her door.

Ryoji blinked a couple times, before walking down the hall to the stairs- gripping the railing as he stumbled a bit- until he was out the front door.

"I'M THE LUCKIEST MAN ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!" he then shouted into the heavens, pumping his fists in the air and running down the street, whooping and hollering with excitement.

Junpei stood by, watching his friend run by with ecstasy. He then looked at the audience. "…Taught him everything- but that," he stated with a grin, then walked off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: THE END! :D

Also, a couple things- I apologize if I made Takaya too mean-spirited or gave him too much of a hard time (but c'mon, he did worse in the game!); and yes, I gave Koromaru an OC… because the dog needs a girl too, dammit! She's based off and named after my sister's dog- who has been staying with ME for months now T_T (I'll vent about that another time)

So, I hope you guys enjoyed this cheesy-romantic fic! I'd like to hear what you think of it in the reviews… but please don't flame, I did the best I could with this!

Ryoji: I loved it! *hugs me* Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you *continues to thank me while squeezing me as if I'm the only one who shipped him with Aigis*

Me: *gasp* Ryoji! I… can't… breathe…! X_X

Ryoji:…oops… um… well… can't wait for the next chapter! *flees*

 _We will have another update once the authoress regains consciousness._


	10. A Bit of Appreciation

(We see the Authoress sneaking around the room, hiding behind the couch; popping up from behind a chair and ducking down; peeking out from behind a curtain; before finally coming up to the laptop)

Lololol… *sees readers* Oh, hey everyone. Sorry for the long wait, but I'm trying to catch up on other stories. But, while seeking inspiration… *snicker* I kind of got this idea!

It's actually an extension of the drabble, "Talk To Me", on how the rest of the night probably went after Junpei and Makoto's moment. In truth, I actually wanted to make it longer, but since the chapter was running long enough, I decided to cut it short…

…then decided I would 'continue' it here XD

Now, you must be wondering 'Why was she being all sneaky in this intro'? …Well, in case you haven't noticed, the guys hate it when I include them in fluffs, so I'm taking precautions since they're on to me.

So, until they find me, ENJOY! *hides under table*

*pops back up, sliding plate of cookies forth*

…Keep quiet, okay? *wink*

 **Reviewer Thanks!:**

 **Phoenix Blaire4869:** *GASP!* Fan-art? REALLY? 8D *jumps with joy* Yay! ^-^; And so glad you loved the references and liked the pairings! (and Ryoji's torture lol). I hope to see that picture soon :)

 **theIdiosocracy:** OMG I should have put that in! XD (Takaya in a wheelchair, lol.. maybe next time); And YAY so glad you liked the Ryoji x Aigis pairing- not as much as Yuki and Shinji's scene, but hey that pairings hard to beat. I hope to get the PSP version someday so I can unlock both social links... and Junpei's, even if it doesn't go too far. And my hiatus is almost over with- slowly I am recovering my muse, so expect more in the future ;)

Disclaimer: Skip it and get to the fluff before they find me!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Setting: Continued from "Talk To Me"_

 _Genre:_ Bromance/Fluff (lolz these guys are going to hate me!)

 _Summary:_ Junpei plays temporary room-mate with a recovering Makoto. Aigis and Koromaru help make sure they're both comfortable.

 _Pairings:_ Junpei x Makoto… _HA! KIDDING! XD_ No pairings this time, sorry folks! (though a bit of Jundori will be hinted ^-^)

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Thunder rolled outside as lightening flashed, the rain slamming against the window. Aigis looked out at the streets as she walked back from the storage closet, having grabbed a spare blanket; when she took Koromaru for a walk that day (during the Eye of the Storm when things were calm), she saw that the streets were still flooded, several branches had fallen from the trees, and quite a few objects were tipped over; the power-lines were also bent, which would explain the random power-outs.

 _I wonder if we'll still be having rehearsal Monday,_ The blonde wondered; if the power-lines were still down come Monday Morning, chances are Director Akitaya would hold off the production until things were up and running- especially since the neighborhood was a mess! Unless he somehow found a way to incorporate a 'Post Storm' scene or two into the plot, they wouldn't be standing in front of a camera anytime soon.

In a way, it didn't bother Aigis too much. She liked being able to hang around without having to wear her android-armor; plus, it meant everyone would have more time to hang out with each other until the project was finished… that is, unless they were put onto a strict schedule. She had to remember the game did have a deadline.

She went up to the second floor, stopping at the second door on the right side of the hallway. She bit her lip, remembering the 'conversation' she overheard from this room between Junpei and his father. The always-joking class-clown, who was known for giving everyone a laugh, suddenly turned quiet and bitter after that; he didn't say a word to anyone, and only watched a movie on TV downstairs before falling asleep on the couch.

When Aigis had returned, he was smiling again, talking to Chidori, both of them exchanging lines over the phone in a mini-rehearsal; granted, the two were free to improvise, but since it was nearing the end of their arc, the writers came up with some 'dramatic' material, in which Chidori would tell Junpei to stop visiting her. (…That, and he needed help memorizing some other lines, as the director claimed if he didn't practice off-set, his character would be permanently killed off- then it would be bye-bye to the game's source of humor!)

He then turned slightly serious again, telling her about the phone-call, about how his dad considered him a screw-up…

Honestly, she didn't know how his father could think that. Junpei was doing well in school- after Mitsuru convinced him not to take his grades too lightly, and Makoto decided to help him study more often; he was doing great in his role in _Persona 3,_ his wages helping cover tuition and meals; and he had been helping out around the Dorm- taking Koromaru out with everyone (they all took turns), helping Ken with his homework, and helping stock up on food- and when it came to Junpei's stomach, everyone was surprised he didn't buy out the whole store!

One of the best things he did was giving everyone a laugh- mostly during or after serious scenes. When it got to be too much of a tear-jerker, the class-clown managed to get everyone to crack up somehow. One of the funniest scenes was during Shinji's death-scene: Right after he stood up to walk off during the scene, Junpei cried out, "Wait! Before you go, I need to ask you something important… Can. I. Have. Your. Computer?" Shinji didn't laugh, though everyone else had to chuckle.

During the funeral scene he was required to be serious… though afterwards started cracking jokes, helping everyone cheer up a bit. It was like nothing could get him down!

Until that phone-call.

She was so reprieved to see him happy again. If only his dad could see how happy he made others.

Aigis continued down the hall, walking into Makoto's room- having to try hard not to smile too much.

Makoto had caught a severe cold, after getting caught in the rain on his way home from school. At first it started out as just congestion and sneezing…

Then he started having fever-dreams, crying in his sleep about his parents hitting him…

Junpei had heard the story while she was out, but claimed Makoto would have to tell her on his own. The two friends obviously exchanged a secret, and the protagonist relied on his best friend not to tell everyone all the facts without his consent.

She didn't like secrets, but as long as her friends promised to open up, she would abide.

Though there was one secret she was willing to keep… but mostly for the sake of saving face for her friends. Thus why she was trying not to giggle.

After Makoto returned to bed, his fever broke and he ended up with a case of the chills. Koromaru was already snuggled up by his legs, but wasn't supplying enough warmth. While Aigis had gone to retrieve a blanket, Junpei must have sat down on the bed to double-check his temperature or something…

The moment she had returned, Makoto had wrapped his arms around Junpei's waist, his head resting against his stomach as if his best friend were a pillow. Koromaru stretched out over them, as if to keep Junpei in-place. Having promised to keep the moment a secret, Aigis left to get Junpei a spare blanket and pillow, as he believed he would be there for a while.

Thus why she had to let out a giggle. "Shut up, it's not funny…" Junpei grumbled, taking the pillow from her and stuffing it behind his back. Makoto shifted, snuggling closer to him, deep in a slumber.

"I'm sorry. It's just… you two look so cute," Aigis said, trying not to chuckle.

"Woof," Koromaru responded, giving her a look.

"I mean, you _three_ look so cute,"

Giving a satisfied grin, Koromaru rested his head back down.

Junpei took the blanket next, draping it over his legs (and Koromaru's head, much to the Sheba Inu's annoyance- the pooch only shimmied out and lied on top of it). "Just keep your mouth shut… If anyone else hears about this, we'll have slash-fans hounding us!" the class-clown replied, then looked down at the protagonist. "The things I go through to help you out…"

Aigis chuckled again, sitting down by his legs and rubbing Koromaru's head. She looked at the sleeping protagonist, feeling her heart at-ease seeing him so peaceful… as opposed to the other night, when he had been crying in his sleep…

"What exactly happened while I was gone?" She asked Junpei. "You were so tense earlier."

"Nothing… Mako-san was just having trouble getting up to his room. We talked a little, and… well, I just eased up." Junpei replied. "Like I said, he'll have to tell you everything himself."

Aigis nodded. "Well… whatever you said… I appreciate it. Makoto was so upset last night, and his illness only made it worse. Thank you for being there for him when he needed it,"

Junpei grinned. "Hey, we're best friends, it comes naturally!"

"Zzz… hmm…" Makoto lightly snored in his sleep.

Aigis smiled. "We'd better let him sleep… Want me to stay with you guys, in case you need anything?" she asked in a whisper.

"Nah, I think we're good. …But, uh, can you do me a favor? Go up to the Control Panel and erase this from his room's security footage? I doubt the others will be light on us if they catch this on tape. Then turn the camera off until he wakes up."

Aigis nodded, once again having to chuckle. She walked out of the room, leaving the two friends (and their beloved dog) alone.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once Aigis was out of the room, Junpei sighed. "…What exactly are you dreaming about right now?" he asked Makoto; his friend only continued to sleep.

He tried to pull away from the protagonist… but Makoto kept his arms around him so tight that he'd end up getting pulled off the bed- and Junpei didn't want to repeat last night and make his friend hit his head on the ground, again. Plus, he was exhausted- it had been a long day; even though it was only 5 in the afternoon, the storm outside made it look as dark as midnight, which gave him the desire to sleep.

That had been his plan for the whole weekend- just sleep past the storm. He wanted to sleep in until noon that day anyway, but the thunder outside kept him up… then he had to get that phone-call from his dad…

What made it worse was when Aigis overheard it; when he opened the door, her face was a mix of shock and concern, staying that way until she took Koromaru for a walk. Makoto, being sick, had lied down on the couch- but still sensed tension, probably not knowing how to address it without causing a conflict.

Junpei decided to take a nap and sleep off his irritation. It didn't help- he only had bad dreams about his father getting drunk, lashing out at him before passing out, calling him useless and weak…

" _I'm… I'm not weak!"_ he had cried in the dream, before running to the door… running to get away, like he always did…

That's when Makoto fell on his stomach, waking him from the dream. He had a look of distress on his own face… then bolted for the stairs.

Junpei forgot about his anger for a moment- Makoto never ran from anyone (unless they ended up pissing off Mitsuru and Shinji- something they only did once and never wanted to repeat). Concerned, the best friend went after him, catching him by the stairs.

He looked at the protagonist now, seeing how calm he looked. It was hard to believe that, just a couple hours ago, he had broken down in tears, having to deal with memories of a bad childhood.

He looked at his friend's side… He still remembered seeing the thin, pale scar…

Unlike his father, who once beat him in a drunken state, Makoto's parents abused him for no reason- they just didn't want a kid. Thank God he managed to get away from them… but the memories followed them, and he couldn't forget.

Junpei frowned. Once the production was over, they would all have to go home… He and his best friend couldn't hide from their problems forever at the Dorm.

…

But that didn't mean he would leave him behind. They were making good money in their acting- they could find a place to stay. There were also other dorms in town they could stay in until graduation. After all they had been through, there was no way he would let his friend go back to that hell-hole!

As for himself… well, he would have to return someday. He had to prove to his dad he wasn't some fuck-up and could make it on his own.

…Well, not completely. Makoto helped him out quite a bit- helping him study, helping him rehearse fight-scenes… and of course lending him answers in class. Granted, often he would have the wrong answer, which pissed off the class-clown… but he let it slide; it helped assure him that not everyone was perfect.

But before he met Makoto… well, he didn't think he'd make it far. He signed up on Persona 3- getting the job because Akitaya felt it was crucial to have a character who acted like a real teenager. His goal was just to make money and move into the Dorm. He didn't make any plans or anything on what to do afterwards- maybe just take the cash he saved up and move to another town… but then what?

Mitsuru always nagged him about his grades- he didn't know whether it was because she was a valedictorian, or if she was being a big-sister to everyone, wanting everyone to try their best; Akihiko always suggested he should work out more, mostly for battle scenes; Yukari criticized him every chance she got; Ken thought he was funny, but it was easy to tell the kid looked up to Akihiko and Shinji as role-models; As for Shinji… well, he didn't give a shit about much.

Makoto was the first to actually test Junpei's potential. Whenever they would rehearse or study, the protagonist always had him snap back to reality whenever he let his mind wander. At one point the class clown snapped at him. _"Just because my grades are low doesn't mean you have to treat me like a dumbass!"_ he had snarled.

" _I'm not. I'm just trying to prove you're smarter than people think,"_ Makoto had told him. _"I'm pretty sure you know it yourself… Prove I'm right, and I'll buy you the new Final Fantasy game,"_

" _Fine... if you really want me to flaunt my intelligence! But if Mitsuru gets jealous, you have to take the blame~"_

" _Hey, I said you were smarter than they think, not a super-genius,"_

" _Ha! Watch me prove you wrong… or right! Whatever!"_

Junpei smiled a bit. While no one else, not even his old school-friends, thought he could be taken seriously, Makoto gave him a chance. Even when he would fail a quiz, Makoto wouldn't be that disappointed- he just continued to study with him. He wasn't wasting his time- he knew his friend had potential.

One thing he always complimented his friend on was his acting. Whenever Junpei would improvise, Makoto would break out of character and burst out laughing. _"Holy Apocalypse Batman- Makoto is SMILING!"_ Junpei had cracked the first time, after seeing his friend stoic for so many scenes.

Not many understood the reference, but it still kept the laughs coming. The class-clown probably would have made a whole stand-up routine based on that one joke, had Akitaya not told everyone to settle down and do the scene again.

Everyone seemed to appreciate the laughs.

Maybe that's one reason he stuck to it- not just to earn some cash and get through school, but also because it made him feel… needed.

The first time it happened, he saw Makoto walking home from school in a melancholy; the teen was depressed about being a blank-slate… so Junpei cheered him up, walking home with him and swapping inappropriate jokes. By the time they reached the Dorm, Makoto thanked him for getting his mind off his depression.

It lifted his own spirits a bit.

He wanted to experience that feeling more often. He did in other ways, he realized after thinking about it; Chidori enjoyed it when he visited her- even on the phone, she wished the storm had started during his visit so he would have to stay, as the hospital was a gloomy place. He didn't have to crack a joke- all he had to do was show up and talk to her… even if it was about school (she needed someone to bring her the assignments so she wouldn't fall behind). All he had to do was smile… and it was like he just made her day.

Ryoji was appreciative too; being new on the set, he didn't exactly know what to do or where to go, so Junpei took him under his wing, teaching him how to improvise, and to keep cool even if he botched a line. …That, and sometimes they would team up to get back at Pharos for one of his pranks- sometimes it would end badly, but that's a story for another day.

Takaya showed him a little respect too. _"You sure know how to bring something to the plot, don't you?"_ the hippie had stated once. _"The game would be really depressing to play without your quirks,"_

And just moments ago, Aigis had thanked him… just for looking out for his best-friend, who had been helping him out since the start.

He'd keep at it, too. He owed the protagonist that much. He'd be there whenever his friend needed a laugh, or smile, or… quite recently… someone to hold onto, and open up to.

It's what best-friends do, right?

With these thoughts in his head, Junpei relaxed. What was he mad about, again?

Shrugging, he slipped back a bit, adjusting himself so that his head was on the pillow; Makoto shifted a bit, waking up a little. "Zz… Junpei…?" he asked, groggily. He could barely keep his eyes open, still too exhausted from the cold's effects.

The best friend patted his back. "Go back to sleep, buddy. You need to sleep off that cold," he said.

The protagonist began to dose off, but tried to fight sleep. "What if you get sick…?"

Junpei smirked. "Don't worry. Idiots can't get sick,"

"You're not an idiot… but okay…" Makoto lied his head back down, this time on his friend's shoulder. "You're really warm…"

"And you're delusional."

"Ha ha… very funny," With that, Makoto drifted to sleep, still snuggled against his friend.

This time, Junpei wrapped his arm around him, rubbing his shoulder to keep him warm. Hey, his friend denied he was an idiot- he earned it.

Koromaru sprawled across them, adding to the warm, the Sheba Inu fast asleep. Junpei stroked the dog's back, then shut his eyes, drifting to sleep next.

He didn't notice the storm outside had calmed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aigis watched on the screen, smiling at her two friends. _Junpei… you matter more than us than you think. I hope you remember that._ She thought.

She then rewound the tape to the moment when Makoto fell asleep, then ejected it- she could tape over their moment once Junpei managed to get free, as she promised.

Going back downstairs, she entered the room and sat down in the chair at the bedside, resting her head on the edge- if the bed were bigger, she would just join them… but this was alright too.

Koromaru looked at her and moved closer, nuzzling her head with his muzzle and drifting to sleep beside her; Junpei's free hand ended up resting against her shoulder, giving it a subconscious rub before just resting on her back. She smiled, and dosed off herself.

Yes… she would remember this moment for quite a while.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: …Because Aigis and Koromaru needed something sweet too, that's why.

Now, if you'll excuse me… *holds up a certain tape* I have to return this, before they notice it's gone.

*click*

(I duck down)

Junpei: *enters* Alright, I know she's here somewhere!

Makoto: Aigis, next time… just burn the tape.

Aigis: Don't you think you're both overreacting?

Junpei and Makoto: NO. *continue to search*

(I sneak towards the door; Koromaru is standing watch, but I give him a steak and he lets me by)

*whispers* Please review, don't flame… and if they ask, you haven't seen me all week! *quickly bolts down the street*


	11. Wardrobe Malfunction Waltz

Well, here's more JunpeixChidori fluff for you all! :D

I have to give credit to **Fanatic97** , who lent me this idea.

Speaking of credit, REVIEWER THANKS TIME!

 **Phoenix Blaire4869:** Meh, I've been falling behind on stuff too, mostly because of work. I can understand, you have a lot of work to do concerning school so no need to rush anything, I'm really patient. Good luck with everything!

 **Scoundrel Bones:** Thanks so much once again! And I'm sorry I didn't include enough focus for all the pairings- one problem I tend to have is including too many characters and thus not giving everyone enough spotlight, but I'm glad everything else was to your liking :D Hope that Part Two is just as entertaining, if not more.

 _Disclaimer: This pairing would dominate the game if I owned it._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Setting:_ On Christmas Eve, FES version.

 _Genre:_ Romance/Fluff

 _Synopsis:_ During a studio party, Chidori is under threat of embarrassment. Lucky for her, Junpei comes in to save the day!

 _Pairings:_ Junpei x Chidori (aka, my OTP), with a hint of others.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Chidori groaned as she walked down the hall of Gekkoukan High. It had been over a week since her dying scene in the game, and Director Akitaya claimed she could have some time off… though wanted her back on-set in a few weeks, claiming the writers came up with a 'revival' scene for her in the game.

That wasn't the reason she was in a sour mood, though. In all actuality, she loved being on the set, rehearsing with everyone and spending more time with her co-stars than she did had her own home.

The only problem was that her dress got ruined.

The beautiful Gothic Lolita dress had been sent to the cleaners after her final take… and of all the dumb luck, a new employee was in charge of washing it, accidentally misreading the cleaning-instructions and causing a few seams to come loose.

The dress was taken to be mended, which she was told would take up to two weeks or so. This was disappointing, as she had planned on wearing the dress again.

The studio was holding a party for Christmas Eve, and it was to be a formal event- the only exception was the cast, who could wear their trademark outfits (…except Takaya, who was told to wear a shirt for once), if they wished.

Chidori was going to wear her dress- she always felt comfortable in it, outside of other dresses… but now, it seemed like she would have to go shopping.

It wouldn't have been a big deal, if the stores didn't charge 100,000 yen for a simple dress, which she found ridiculous. She thought about asking Bebe to make her a dress, but the Sewing Club student went back to France to visit his relatives for the holidays.

Such the reason why she was groaning. The party was in two days, and she had break the bank to get a new dress.

"Bad day?"

Chidori turned, seeing Yukari walking beside her. "Bad week is more like it," she replied with a sigh. "My dress got ruined at the cleaners, and I have to splurge for a new one for the party."

Yukari gave her a sympathetic look. "Oh, yeah, I heard about that… If you want, I can go shopping with you, and lend you some cash."

Chidori shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, Yukari-san, but I can't accept such generosity."

"It's no big deal! I plan on buying a new dress too- I need to expand my closet, anyway. Most of my old outfits barely-" she paused, thinking. "…wait… What if I lent you one of my dresses?"

Chidori looked at Yukari. Between the two of them, they both had different tastes when it came to fashion. "Um, I'm not sure…"

"Oh, c'mon! Like I said, I have to get rid of some of my old clothes anyway. Meet me after school, alright?" The bell rang, and Yukari rushed off. "See you later!"

Chidori sighed. Sometimes Yukari tended to be too friendly… but she couldn't complain. At least she was getting a dress without having to spend a grand.

…That is, if she could find the right one.

After school, she stood in Yukari's room at the dorm, looking through the dresses. A lot of them ranged from pink to red, one was all white with blue flowers on it, and another was a mini-dress. Not exactly her style, but beggars couldn't be choosers. She picked the blue-flowered one, seeing it was strapless, but nothing a shawl couldn't help.

She held the dress in front of her, looking into a mirror. "It might be a tight fit…" she whispered to herself. "Then again, for a strapless, that may be for the best."

"Tell me about it. …My mom gave me that dress for my birthday one year, but I forgot about it- I tried it on, but couldn't walk three steps without having to pull it back up. I was pretty flat back then..." She paused, blushing. "Um… d-don't tell anyone I said that, okay?"

Chidori nodded. "Thanks for the dress. I'll try it on when I get home," she replied, walking out.

Yukari walked over to her closet, deciding to sort through her outfits and decide what to throw out…

Of course, first, she would end up throwing someone out. Preferably, through a window.

"Junpei! …How long have you've been standing by the door?!" came a gasp from Chidori.

Yukari paused, looking over.

"Uh, I-I wasn't standing, I was just coming up to say hi- my that's a lovely dress..." came the voice of a certain class clown… who appeared to be pressing himself against the wall, his ear near the door.

"Why are you all red in the face, then?"

"JUNPEI!" Yukari snarled, storming out.

Chidori watched the pursuit take place, with Junpei repeating that he was just passing by, and Yukari shouting threats of what would happen if he didn't keep a secret.

She let out a sigh, shaking her head. First her dress gets mangled, now it seemed like her boyfriend was next.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Complications continued afterward. Chidori, the moment she got home, had ended up sidetracked when she remembered the amount of homework she had- being in a hospital for several weeks while doing rehearsals, she had a few assignments to catch up on before the end of the year. She ended up lying the dress on her bed, figuring she could try it on later.

The next day, she remembered the Art Club was having a meeting- she signed up for the club to get a special scholarship, and couldn't miss it. By the time the meeting was over, it was late into the afternoon, and she had to hurry home.

On her way home, Junpei walked with her. "Good to see you're alive. I figured Yukari killed you," Chidori joked.

"Nah… she claimed she'd spare my life as long as I kept my mouth shut," Junpei replied with a shrug. "By the way, how do you like the dress?"

"I haven't tried it on yet; it's a bit small, but I think it will fit,"

Junpei rubbed his chin, smirking. "Oh yeah? Hmm… I always wondered how you'd look in a tight outfit,"

She gave him a glare. "Why is it that whenever outfits are brought up, you have to get perverted?"

"I'm just joking! I-I think you'll look nice in it,"

Chidori sighed. "Just… don't make comments like that at the party, alright? I'll probably be hearing enough… Maybe I shouldn't go,"

"Don't say that! Look, it doesn't matter what we think- as long as you feel comfortable, right?"

"I guess…" Though she wasn't so sure.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next day was Christmas Eve, and the cast was ready for the party. Makoto claimed he would be late, as he was going to the mall with Yukari for a 'Social Link' date for the game's plot… then he would have to do the same with Fuuka. And Mitsuru. And Yuko. And Chihiro. It all depended on which girl the player was in a committed relationship to at the time.

"I swear, he's more of a player than I am!" Ryoji joked, as he and the guys walked towards the studio.

"What time were they coming?" Jin asked.

"Mitsuru said it would only be an hour, so they shouldn't be too long." Akihiko stated.

"Good- that should be plenty of time for all of us to unwind before Mitsuru starts telling us how to behave at a formal event," Ryoji said with a smirk.

"…you do realize that her father is hosting the party, right?" Takaya spoke up- and it was noted that he was wearing a casual suit-jacket over a white shirt.

"…okay, never mind."

"Just don't try to cause too much trouble," Akihiko stated. "Otherwise, we're going to go through another 'lecture' at the dorm."

"From Mitsuru-senpai, or the producers?" Junpei asked.

"Worse. Ikutskuki-san."

"The Chairman? What's so bad about his lectures?" Ryoji questioned.

"Dude, the last time he lectured us, he dropped 20 puns! It was torture!" Jin groaned. "My head still hurts!"

"I think he does it on purpose just to make sure we don't disobey orders again," Takaya sneered.

"…w-what did you guys do to deserve it?" Ryoji asked in morbid curiosity.

"DON'T ASK." The rest of the guys replied, making their recent cast-member flinch.

"Let's just… get inside. It's freezing out here," Akihiko sighed, and they entered the building where the party was being held.

The room was decorated with Christmas lights, with a large decorated tree set up in the middle. A small orchestra of musicians stood near the stage, playing soft music, and a couple refreshment tables were set up on both sides of the room.

"Man… I knew this was going to be a black-tie affair, but I didn't think they'd make it this elegant." Junpei sighed, already feeling bored.

"Just be glad we didn't have to wear tuxedos." Jin remarked.

"Hey, there's Akitaya-san with a couple of producers," Akihiko said, walking over. "I'm going to ask them about these 'crossover' sequels I've been hearing about,"

"You do that, I'm going to go find the writer and see if I can get some good lines in." Ryoji said.

"You only have one scene left!" Tayaka scoffed.

"All the more reason to squeeze in some good one-liners while I can," With that, Ryoji walked off. Takaya rolled his eyes and decided to go mingle.

Jin looked around. "Wasn't Shinjiro coming?" he asked.

"Nah, he decided to skip and take Koromaru to the Shrine."

"What about Ken and Pharos?"

"They figured the party would be Dull City- that, and they weren't allowed to stay out late on a school night, outside rehearsals. Another reason Senpai stayed behind- someone had to make sure those two didn't destroy the dorm, heh."

"And Aigis is still sick?"

Junpei nodded. After her last scene, Aigis ended up catching a cold… which soon turned into a case of the flu. Thankfully the writers were quick to make an excuse that her character was at the lab after suffering a breakdown. "She should be back on the set soon- she's lucky she got to miss Exams,"

"Yeah. …Well, I guess I'll look around and see who did make it," Jin said, then walked off.

Junpei shrugged, then walked over to the buffet table. He was in the middle of placing three different kinds of sushi on his plate when someone walked over to him. "Sorry I'm late," came Chidori's voice.

"Hey, it's fine. You didn't miss m-" He began to reply… then nearly dropped his plate.

Chidori was wearing the dress, a few top-layers of her hair tied back and showing her shoulders. The dress appeared smaller than either of them realized, as it hugged her abdomen tightly- showing her curves well, Junpei immediately noticed.

Seeing him gawk, she blushed. "Please don't stare." She looked around the room. "I got home late after school, and barely had time to try it on. Once I put it on, I realized it was small, but didn't have time to change out and find something else- I didn't realize Yukari wore such a small size…"

"Neither did I… Er, I mean, she probably grew a lot since then. I-I think she was the smallest kid in our class for a while or something… Maybe it shrunk after she had it washed?" Junpei said, trying to keep his tone casual, but the blush in his face made it difficult to keep cool.

It only made Chidori feel more awkward. "I should have bought a dress… I can barely breathe in this!"

"You want to go home and change?"

Chidori sighed. "I have nothing to change into, and the stores closed early." She shifted a bit. "…I'll get used to it. I just need to focus on something else,"

Junpei looked around the room. "Well, we came to the wrong place…" he then switched his voice to a sophisticated British accent. "I do say, this party is so elegant, my boredom was too bored to stay,"

Chidori chuckled a little. "At least the food looks good, and the decorations are beautiful," she looked over; across the room, a few couples were taking part in a dance (off to the side, Ryoji was trying to ask Elizabeth for a dance- but Kenji kept getting in his way). "Why don't we dance?"

Junpei rubbed the back of his neck. "Um… I've never danced before. Not in a sophisticated way, at least."

Chidori took him by the hand. "Don't worry, just follow my lead." She led him across the dance floor, until they were near the back- just so no one would spot them easily, as nervous as they both were. She then placed one of his hands on her side while she held the other, her free hand resting on his shoulder.

At this point, his face was turning a deeper shade of red. She had to chuckle- he was so cute when he blushed. She then began to take a few steps, leading him along in the dance; he kept looking at his feet, careful not to step on hers. "Just relax," she whispered to him. "Look at me, not your feet."

He did so, locking eyes with her, letting her guide him along. After a minute, he was getting the hang of it.

They both relaxed, forgetting why they were so nervous.

He stretched his arm out, still holding her hand, making her twirl; she laughed…

*rrrip!*

He gasped.

During the spin, the seams on the side of the dress gave out, a few tiny threads being all that kept it from tearing completely… though the tear was still large enough that he could see her side- any further, and he (as well as the rest of the room) would get a better view of her curves.

 _(A/n: I hear you perverts out there, *holds up machete* and I know where you live.)_

"Oh, shit…!" Junpei cursed under his breath, and quickly pulled Chidori close, pulling her further to the back and behind a plant.

"Junpei, what...?" Chidori began to ask… until she noticed where his hand was, feeling his fingers touching her skin. She looked down, gasping at the tear. "Oh, no…"

Junpei turned her, so that the tear was facing a wall, looking around to make sure no one else noticed. Everyone was still mingling, paying them no mind. He looked back at the rip- it had expanded a little more, and in the back the zipper seemed to be coming undone as well. "Geez, one more move, and this thing might burst into pieces," he commented, and tried to think.

"I shouldn't have worn this thing… What are we going to do?" She was red with embarrassment, wincing a bit. Why did wardrobe malfunctions always have to happen at public events?

Junpei looked around the room. No way could they make it to the entrance, with so many people standing around mingling and talking- plus at that great distance, the dress would fall completely off the moment they pass the Christmas tree, and he didn't want this to end up like one of those awkward ecchi moments that occurred numerous times in various animes. Not to his girlfriend, at least.

He looked over, seeing an emergency exit on the other side of the dance-floor; by this point, though, a few more people were dancing, so it would be impossible to walk through. He looked at Chidori's dress- the rip would expand no matter how little they moved. If they were going to get out of here, he would have to keep it from being seen by anyone else.

Getting a couple ideas, he took off his jacket, draping it over Chidori's shoulders. "Here, put this on," he whispered, helping her get her arms through it; she had to roll up the sleeves a little for her hands to stick out. He then pulled her close again. "Now... lets head to the exit over there,"

Chidori stumbled a little, as Junpei pulled her along… swaying a little with her in a waltz (or an attempt at one). "W-We're dancing over there?" she questioned, quietly.

"It's the fastest way through. Just follow my lead- I'll get you out of here, safe and sound." He promised, his tone calm even though his face was still red in a blush.

Chidori relaxed a little, keeping her mind on dancing with her boyfriend; she felt awkward, wearing his jacket while dancing at a formal event… but considering the circumstances, she knew the alternative would be worse.

Junpei scanned the room; Akihiko was now standing by Kazushi and Yuko, the three of them talking sports it seemed like; Takaya was talking to Ikutsuki, looking bored (the Chairman must have cracked a punny joke); Jin was sitting at a dining table, texting; and Kenji and Ryoji were now arguing in front of Elizabeth (who seemed to be recording it on her phone, finding it amusing).

Alright, everyone was occupied. They just might get out of this-

*rriip!*

…safe?

"*gasp* (Junpei!)" Chidori hissed in a panic. Feeling panicky as well, the class clown looked down, finding that he lost his footing a bit and ended up stepping on the skirt of the dress, making a tear at her waist. Thankfully, his jacket was long enough on her so that it was covered- but only slightly.

"Yikes…!" Junpei whispered, holding her closer and wrapping one arm completely around her back in order keep his jacket pressed over the new rip. He looked over- they were halfway there. "D-Don't freak out, we're almost there."

Chidori nodded, staying close to him. They continued to waltz across the floor, her boyfriend concentrating more on his footing this time while keeping her close- so close, she could hear his heartbeat. Yet with every step, she was worried the fabric would rip further, and she found herself gripping him tightly in anxiety.

"Don't worry, I gotcha," he whispered in reassurance, pulling her into a small sway in order to cut through a gap in the crowd quicker.

She clung onto him, holding her breath, trying to keep calm. It was nice, as she noticed that they were practically gliding across the floor- if she didn't feel so tense, she would probably feel light as a feather.

"Almost there… almost there…" Junpei kept whispering. They were practically in front of the exit now.

"Hey, Junpei! Chidori!"

They looked over… seeing Makoto had arrived with the rest of the girls, Yukari being the one who called to them.

"Crap, I thought they weren't going to be here for another hour!" Junpei hissed.

"They're coming over…" Chidori gulped, her heart racing when Yukari was pulling Makoto towards the dance-floor. She looked, seeing that a few others were looking their way. "J-Junpei…!"

Junpei looked at the door, then his girlfriend. "Hold on- and pray that dress stays intact!" he whispered. Before she could respond, he twirled her fast, practically launching her to the door!

Chidori stumbled, catching the handle; she looked over, Junpei waving her forth, and without hesitation ran out.

By this point, Yukari had dragged Makoto over. "Hey, Chidori, how does the dress…" she began to ask, pausing when she noticed that, unseen through the crowd, Chidori had made an escape. "Huh? Where'd she go?"

"Uh, she said she wasn't feeling well- food poisoning from the sushi or something, I guess." Junpei answered. "She ran outside before she could vomit,"

"Why was she wearing your jacket?" Makoto asked.

"She felt cold. …You guys enjoy the party, I'm going to walk her home," With that, he quickly ran out the door.

Yukari pouted. "Aww, man… I wanted to ask Chidori how she liked the dress," she sighed. Makoto only shrugged.

There was a commotion over by the buffet just then, and they ran over… seeing that Kenji was drenched in punch and Ryoji had wasabi smothered in his hair. Elizabeth was in a fit of giggles. "And here I thought formal events were boring!" she chuckled.

Mitsuru stormed over. "What happened?!" she demanded.

Kenji and Ryoji glared at each other. "…Don't ask…" they both muttered.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

While that little disaster was taking place, Junpei was focusing on the fashion disaster his girlfriend was experiencing. Once he got outside, he found her standing behind a dumpster, trying to find a way to keep the fabric pinched together. It seemed like the little spin she took ripped the dress even more.

She gasped, pulling his jacket over the rip- though this time, the tear was too bit to be concealed. "…this night has been a disaster…" she sighed, wincing.

Junpei rubbed the back of his neck. "C'mon, lets head to the Dorm- it's only down the block," he said, putting an arm around her.

They took three steps before Chidori stepped on the skirt, tearing it a little more. "Fuck…!" she cursed, bending a bit to lift it up a little… which resulted in the rip in the side to burst. She gasped, wrapping the jacket around herself completely.

Junpei looked at her, seeing she was close to crying. It was no use- the moment she moved, another seam would burst. Hell, it was a miracle she managed to walk clear to the party without something coming undone!

"Come here," he whispered, bending down and lifting her legs, until he was carrying her bridal-style, keeping the torn-part pressed against him.

Chidori tensed a little- sure, Junpei had held her close before, but never really picked her up. As he began walking down the sidewalk, she began to relax, resting her head on his shoulder. A cold wind blew, and she then realized he was just wearing a white T-shirt. "Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he replied with a smile, holding her closer; he lowered his head, resting it against hers so that their lips were side-by-side. "You're keeping me warm,"

She smiled, then nuzzled against him. "Same here,"

They continued on, reaching the Dorm in a matter of minutes. Opening the door with a free hand, he carried her in. Shinji was sitting on the couch, a Cooking magazine covering his face, Koromaru curled up at his feet.

They walked to the stairs, Junpei moving slowly so not to fall back, leaning against the railing to help keep his balance. "Um… I can walk from here…" Chidori whispered.

"Yeah right- like I'm going to risk your dress falling apart on the security cameras," Junpei whispered back. Once they reached the top, he carried her to his bedroom. Passing Ken's room, they heard him and Pharos playing a videogame, which was another reprieve. If he had access to the girl's rooms upstairs, he'd let her borrow some clothes from one of their rooms, but he had to improvise with what he had.

Looking around the room, he blushed a bit- his room was a complete mess, with dirty clothes all over the floor, magazines scattered on his desk and bed, and wrappers tossed here and there. He cleared his throat, walking over and moving his backpack off a chair, setting Chidori down on it. "Sorry for the mess," he muttered.

"It's fine," Chidori replied, looking around his room at the posters on the wall; she picked up a manga sitting on the desk- _Bleach_ \- and flipped through it.

While she did so, Junpei walked over to his dresser, crammed with jeans, T-shirts, socks, boxers… all in one large drawer. The others held his school clothes and pajamas. He sorted through everything until he found a pair of sweat-pants with adjustable strings, a T-shirt, and a hoodie. He handed them to her. "Here- I know they're a little big, but it's the only thing I have."

Chidori scoffed, smirking. "After wearing a gown that felt more like a Chinese finger-trap, this is a step-up." She held up the pants… then paused, looking at him. "…Do you mind?"

Junpei, realizing he was still facing her, flinched. "Gah! Um… Sorry. …Actually, maybe you should change in the restroom. There aren't any cameras there,"

Chidori shrugged. "You change in here, don't you?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, right! I change in the bathrooms all the time- like I'd want to show my naked ass on-camera!"

 _(A/n: …just wait until the third movie, Junpei…)_

Chidori chuckled; Junpei showed her to one of the restrooms- while looking around to make sure no one was coming by. He heard mild cursing from Ken's room, figuring the boys were having a fierce tournament.

There came the sound of footsteps… or, rather, paw-steps… as Koromaru came up to them. The dog cocked his head, curiously.

Junpei pointed at him. "Don't say a word,"

Chidori rolled her eyes but smirked. She continued down the stairs- Junpei kept close, in case another wardrobe malfunction occurred. She kept the skirt lifted so she wouldn't step on it again, and kept Junpei's clothes pressed against her.

Once the bathrooms were in-sight, she quickly ran into the girl's restroom. Junpei stood against the wall, waiting. Koromaru looked up at him, tail lightly wagging.

"Any reason you brought your girlfriend home?"

Junpei flinched, looking over at the couch; Shinji was lying on the couch, still having the magazine on his face, but was clearly awake.

The class-clown blushed, not exactly wanting to explain why he carried Chidori in; nor did he want the punk getting any dirty thoughts. "No reason. The party was boring, so we decided to come to the Dorm and hang out. N-Nothing's going on, I swear!"

"Tch. Whatever. Like you'd be that stupid," Shinji then got up, walking over to the kitchen. "…And if you are, keep in mind we've got cameras in all the rooms."

Junpei sneered. "I'm aware of that, Senpai… geez."

"…Good. So you know how to use your brain, after all." With that, Shinji walked on.

Junpei grimaced. "…I use it better than you do…"

"What?" Shinji called, firmly, from across the room.

"Nothing!"

Shinji only gave him a warning-glare, then continued on. "…By the way, your girlfriend's out of the restroom,"

Junpei flinched, turning to see Chidori was behind him, kneeling down and petting Koromaru. "…how long have you've been out."

"Long enough," she said with a chuckle, handing him back his jacket. The torn-dress was crumpled underneath one arm. "…So, what should we do now?"

Junpei shrugged. "I can walk you back home, if you want."

Chidori nodded, and they walked out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They got on the monorail at Iwatodai Station. Thankfully, Chidori's Dorm was just a block away from the next station. The train wasn't so crowded, so they managed to find a couple seats. She sat close to him, resting her head on his shoulder while curling up- wearing his clothes was almost like being snuggled underneath a blanket.

Junpei kept his arm around her, looking out the window at the moonlight. He was a bit nervous about taking her through Paulownia Station, as right down a nearby alley a few thugs hung around; thankfully, it was too cold for any of them to be standing around outside. …If there were some crazy enough to do so, they normally stayed in the alley to avoid the station's security guards- not to mention Kurosawa, as the officer patrolled the area thoroughly.

Still, he kept his guard up; he might not be the toughest fighter, but he'd do anything to defend Chidori.

The train stopped, and they stepped out, walking up the escalators and onto the sidewalk. He kept his arm around Chidori, his eyes focused on his surroundings.

"…are you okay?" Chidori asked, feeling how tense he was.

"Yeah… just keeping an eye out for trouble," he whispered. "A bunch of thugs tend to hang around the station's alleys."

Chidori wrapped an arm around his waist, keeping close to him. "Don't worry. I've got your back,"

Junpei did a double-take. "What the…? C'mon, Chi! I'm the one who's supposed to defend you! It's what boyfriends do!"

Chidori smiled. "…And what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't stand up for my man, as well?" she rested her head on his arm. "You'll always be my hero, Junpei… I just want to protect you as well. Looking out for each other is what all lovers do,"

"I know… I just don't want someone to hurt you,"

"And I don't want anyone to hurt you, either- so we're on the same page."

Junpei sighed… but smiled. "Alright. Point taken. …I'm still watching out for you, though. If you ever get in trouble, I want to be the one to rescue you."

Chidori stepped in front of him. "You already did. You came to my rescue tonight," she rested her hands on his shoulders, pulling herself up and kissing him on the lips.

He felt his face heat up, then wrapped his arms around her, kissing her back. "I guess I did,"

They made it to her dorm a minute later. She gave him one more kiss, before walking through the door. "…Oh, um, I'll give you your clothes back as soon as I can," she stated.

He shrugged. "Keep 'em. …Consider it an early Christmas gift," he said with a wink, then walked off.

Chidori smiled, then walked inside, heading to her room. She threw the dress on the floor- perhaps she could give it to Bebe to work on as a sewing project once he got back. In the meantime, she wrapped her arms around herself, enjoying the warmth of her new clothes.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _~The Next Day At School~_

 _(…yes… they have school during Christmas. I can't believe it, either)_

Junpei walked into the class, sitting down at his desk. He had spent the Lunch period looking for Chidori, wondering if she was absent. Someone from her class said she went out to eat for lunch that day.

He paused, noticing an envelope sticking out of the side of his desk… finding that his girlfriend didn't exactly go out to eat during the last hour.

He opened his desk a bit to take it out… then noticed something else was inside. He lifted it, finding a new hoodie- one with the logo of his favorite baseball team on it. "No way…!" he gasped, smirking. He then looked at the envelope, opening it…

He smiled. Inside was a detailed sketch of him and Chidori dancing- her wearing his jacket and all (no sign of tears to be seen was the only creative liberty she took). What really made him smile was the caption at the bottom.

" _For my hero. Merry Christmas! ~Chidori"_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: *I walk in- the camera only shows my head* Aww, now wasn't that sweet? ^-^ For those of you who don't quite know, New Years Eve is basically the 'Valentine's Day' in the game. (…I wish they let you play through February so we could actually see what V-Day is like).

Anyway, hope you enjoyed and-

Chidori: WG-san…

Me: *flinch* Um, yes Chidori…?"

Chidori: Show them.

Me: *sigh* fine… Okay, folks, the only way I could complete this request was if… ah, just pan out.

(The camera pans out… revealing WG wearing the dress Chidori had to wear)

Chidori: There. Now we're even.

Me: …Bebe just HAD to return from his trip early…

Chidori: At least it fits you properly- and won't fall apart this time.

Me: I still wish you burned it. T_T

Junpei: Aw, c'mon WG. It looks good on you… *holds up his iphone* And I think all my Instagram followers will agree! *click*

Me: 0_0 What the…?! You asshole! *I chase after him* Iori, I swear if you don't delete that picture-!

Junpei: Nah- I'll need something to make sure you don't put me and Makoto in any more fluff-situations!

Me: JUNPEI…!

Chidori: *sigh* (turns to readers) While I try to rescue my boyfriend this time, please leave a review… but don't flame. (raises her axe) WG isn't the only one who's armed.

Me: * Dammit, Stupei, slow down! You know how hard it is to run in a dress?!

Junpei: That's why I'm not slowing down!

Chidori: *face-palm* …just end the Authors Note. This may take a while.

 _(We will return once the authoress has caught Junpei. …Run, Iori- Run like the wind!)_


	12. A Persona 3 Christmas Poem

Season's Greetings everyone! For the holiday, I decided to post this little poem. ^-^

 **Reviewer Thanks (gives Christmas presents)**

 **FFPersona:** Thank you very much. I do plan on including the cast of Persona 4 one of these days, though it may be a while as I need to look up some scenes from the anime/game in order to understand each character.

 **Fanatic97:** Thanks bro ^-^ Yes- look up the whole game, you'll thank me later! *brace yourself for the feels, though*

Disclaimer: Screw it, it's Christmas! :D

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 **Igor's Narrative**

Welcome to the Velvet Room, mine guests.

Christmas Wishes to you, if only the best.

Take a seat, I implore you

Elizabeth, please bring them some cocoa.

With a marshmallow or two

I'm happy you've decided to visit- oh.

Oh my, would you look at that? It is safe to bet

Out the window, I see we're in a Winter Storm.

But never you fret.

I shall keep you entertained… with a tale from the Dorm.

It is anything but boring

I assure you, it would make even Jin smile

Sit back, relax, as I tell you a story

That is more than worthwhile.

*scene change*

'Twas the night of Christmas in Iwatodai

As the Persona 3 students gathered 'round

Inside their dorm while snowflakes fell from the sky

With Christmas music with much resound

Filled the air as the group held a party for the holiday

Listening to the seasonal jams

Relaxing and socializing after the final week

Post-term exams.

A tiny Christmas tree on the counter, tinsel on the walls

Décor of all kinds to celebrate the season of snow

"Hey, Mako-man, check it out!" Junpei called from one of the halls.

Makoto looked up, seeing his friend hung a mistletoe

Over the doorway between the hall and dining room.

Junpei beamed, thinking it looked swell.

Makoto only sensed doom,

Having a feeling this would not end well.

"Maybe you should hang that somewhere else," The protagonist did state.

'Otherwise the only thing you'll get

'Is a slap to the face,"

"That only happened on the set!"

Was the response Junpei did argue, stepping down off a stool.

"Take it from me, this is the best idea I've had!" The class-clown exclaimed.

"Girls will line up to kiss us, and we just have to stand here and look cool,"

"That plan is totally lame,"

This statement came from Yukari, classmate and friend

Who always rolled her eyes at any idea of Junpei's

Wishing someday they would end

Her criticism the primary source of his dismay.

"We're having a party to relax and celebrate," Yukari went on.

'After exams and snow and Christmas shopping,

'No one is going to be getting it on,"

"Well I'm not stopping!"

Junpei exclaimed with a tight fist,

And giving Yukari a glare.

"You'll see, I'll get a kiss-!"

"Uh, double-check your strategy," Akihiko stated, pointing up in the air.

Junpei arched an eyebrow and looked up,

Looking ahead, he had to groan, "Oh no…"

For he noticed he did screw up,

Seeing standing 'neath the décor was Makoto.

Yukari and Misturu both gasped and giggled while Akihiko and Shinji shook their heads,

Ken and Pharos, having twin ideas, took their iphones out

Makoto blushed and wished he were dead.

"This doesn't count!" Junpei called in a shout.

"Is something the matter?" came the voice of Fuuka, as she came down the stairs,

Stepping between her two friends- what luck!

"Fuuka!" Junpei exclaimed, he and Makoto exchanging nods. "Just stay there!"

As the two friends leaned forth- Fuuka panicked last second and ducked!

Quick as a whip

The two locked lips!

Yuki snorted while Aigis giggled, Jin even giving a smirk

Takaya almost choked on his 'nog

Ryoji guffawed, stifling it so not to be too much of a jerk

If you listened closely, there was even a laugh from the dog!

Fuuka meekly stood up quick,

Feeling bad for having ducked

As she saw her friends faces looked quite sick

And Junpei screamed, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"Ha ha, you two kissed!" Takaya exclaimed in a loopy tone.

'Wait until I tell the whole class!"

Makoto responded with, "Don't even touch your phone,

'Or I'll kick your pale ass!

'This is not to leave the Dorm, take it to your graves!

'We are not to speak of this, it doesn't go out the door!"

"C'mon… you know you wanna make him your slave~"

Were the last words of Takaya before he passed out on the floor.

"What the hell did you put in the eggnog Shinjiro senpai?"

Ryoji did ask, looking at the creamy elixir.

"Takaya brought his own… I don't feel sorry for the guy,"

Jin replied first. "The dumbass acted like he was coming to a mixer."

While Takaya was dragged to the couch to sleep off his drunken state,

And Makoto and Junpei went to rinse off their mouths,

The class-clown's girlfriend did enter. "Sorry I'm late,"

She said on arrival, noticing laughter in the air.

"Okay, what did I miss? It seems you've got quite a story."

By this time Junpei was back, giving everyone a glare

That easily read, 'Don't you dare tell Chidori!'

"Takaya passed out drunk," Jin stated instead.

"He spiked his own drink,

'Thought it would be fun, but only made himself a fink."

Mitsuru with a nod added, "Well said.

'Just to be safe, we should switch it out

'In case he spiked it for all of us as a trick,"

Akihiko commented, "Probably hoped to make out

'With a drunk girl. What a dick,"

"Who the hell spikes their own drink anyway?"

Shinjiro did sneer.

"That plan is way beyond gay,

'He might as well have brought his own beer,"

"Um, before someone else does something

That they'd soon resent,"

Aigis did speak up, in a tone that turned touching.

"Might I recommend we exchange our presents?"

Everyone exchanged looks and grins

Giving nods of agree.

"Alright!/Yes!" Came exclamations from Pharos and Ken,

The boys rushing over to the counter with a tiny Christmas tree.

Behind it presents were stacked with care

Addressed to one friend from another

Everyone found a chair

Accepting gifts from lovers, friends, sisters or brothers.

Once the presents were unwrapped

And the food was nothing but crumbs,

Everyone decided to head upstairs for rest

Takaya woke up minutes later, his head feeling numb.

On his stomach there was a gift,

The box wrapped with a ribbon of satin.

Opening it, he found it was a Peace necklace

From his closest friend, Jin.

Attached to his arm also was a note from said cast-member

Reading 'Next year take it easy on the nog,

'Otherwise you'll miss something you'd want to remember

'While you were passed out like a log,"

Nodding the charismatic hippie put on the gift,

Lying back down on the couch.

The hangover was starting to set in, as if his brain had a rift

As all he could state was, "Ouch."

*scene change*

So that was the Christmas our friends did share

Exchanging gifts and smiles

As well as a few glares.

Allow me to share something with you

My dearly appreciated guest

Do not focus on kisses or booze this holiday season.

But think about how you are blessed.

It seems the snow has stopped falling so severe,

The roads are now clear.

Until we meet again my guest, dear

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: I must confess

Poetry is not my best

Forte, but be blessed

Nonetheless.

I must run in distress

For Makoto and Junpei are pissed

About that accidental kiss

And wish to kill this authoress.

[ _And so as she ran from the two characters, who were ready to fight_

 _WG did call out, 'Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!]_

 _*please review after this sentence*_

 _*no flames or you don't get your presents!*_


	13. Life for a Dog

No plot for this one… had to take the dog to the vet, so I decided to write a chapter about Koromaru to cheer me up.

PS… if any one of you sees a guy hit an animal and keep driving- hunt down the vehicle and slash their tires!

Shinji: *walks by* …Their gas-tank is filled with sugar, too.

Um… why is your hand bleeding?

Shinji: They're going to need new windows, too. *leaves*

(And that is why I love him)

Disclaimer: Screw it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

I don't remember much of my past. I was taken from my mother when I was young, all my siblings taken before I was. I never knew my father- mom says he just came, they shared a moment of passion, and he went off with his best friend.

Of course, she also told me it was common for dogs used for breeding. I was the last pup to get adopted. My owner was a kind old man who looked after the Shrine in town. He was a lonely old man in need of a good friend… and, as instincts told me, there was no better a friend than a dog.

I remembered how he would let me run around the playground. Kids who passed by would run up and pet me; I would sit down next to people who would join their hands by the Shrine, watch others make donations or take fortune tickets; one teenager always came by and sat on the bench. I think I took off with a pen he wrote with, thinking it was a fetching stick.

My master would watch me run around, play fetch with me; at the end of the day, we would walk home. He used to keep me on a leash, but once I proved to him that I didn't need a 'guide' to show me where to go, he let me walk on my own. Everywhere he went, I went. We were inseparable!

…and then… one day…

I can't recall much. I just remember one of those large, white vehicles with the flashing lights driving up. My master was on the ground, lying still… I whined, gave a short bark, thinking maybe he would wake up…

I sat by the Shrine after he was loaded into the big white vehicle and taken away. I remained by the Shrine, waiting for him to return.

Many people came to the Shrine days later, bringing flowers by the dozens, lying them in front of the building. My master's picture was placed in the middle, surrounded by lit candles. A man in robes gave a long speech.

I believe this was what humans called a 'funeral'. I didn't quite know much about them, but I did know one thing… my master wasn't coming back.

I stayed at the Shrine. I felt it was my duty now to look after it now that my master was gone.

A few people who came by would give me scraps of food. I drank from puddles. Sometimes I would have to go around the block to find something to eat.

One day… a couple girls came by while I was walking. I learned they were called 'Fuuka' and 'Yukari', after I ended up living with them later on. As I walked, I heard a man speaking with them- 'Akitaya-san' they called him- asking about me.

Akitaya came to the Shrine later on. "Hey, Koro-chan. You probably don't remember me, but I knew your master," he said.

Getting his scent, I soon recalled. Akitaya was once a young man who would talk to my master, bringing up how he was a director now, asking if it would be alright if he could set up cameras at the Shrine- promising to make sure his crew didn't upset a single thing- as he wanted 'players' to get a good look at Japanese culture. My master agreed. "Mind Koromaru, though. He may want to be the star!" he joked.

Well… turns out Akitaya took his words to heart. "Would you like to come stay at the Dorm down the street? It's not far from the Shrine. Having a dog in the game would make it a lot more interesting, and the kids would love you," he said.

I continued to sit in my spot, giving him the hint that I needed time to think about it. I never gave thought to a new home. I planned on staying at the Shrine until the day I died.

…That day almost came prematurely. Thank goodness for those cameras.

A group of vandals came to the Shrine, throwing garbage and spraying graffiti. One of them even tried to mark his territory on the playground! I wasn't going to stand for it, and started snarling, snapping and chasing them, biting at their legs in order to drive them off my master's foundation!

One of them had a knife. He got me on the shoulder- I got him on the arm. The others started kicking and stomping at me.

Suddenly there were sirens. The vandals' act was caught on tape and the police came, Akitaya in tow since the cameras belonged to him. With him were several teens- apparently they were setting up a scene for their 'game' that was supposed to take place somewhere else, but he decided to rewrite the script in order to fit this scene in.

Rather than saying it was vandals who were attacking the Shrine, they said it was 'Shadows', and I was just protecting it. I had no idea what it meant… I just knew I was being taken to the vet clinic in order to get my wound treated.

I was in the clinic for two days. The vet claimed he was going to take me to the shelter, claiming I shouldn't be on the streets, as thin I was looking. I began to panic- I didn't want to be sent away!

"He's not going to a shelter." Akitaya said, rubbing my head. "We'll take care of him at the Dorm. That Shrine means the world to him- it would break his heart to be so far from it."

They updated my shots and bought me a collar after that. I was then introduced to the teens- Fuuka and Yukari I recognized, as well as a boy- Makoto- who had pat my head the same day we met.

I didn't linger around the Dorm much. Akitaya claimed I needed time to take in its surroundings for a couple days, let me get used to it, while letting me walk to the Shrine afterwards.

As I explored the Dorm… well, I have to say the teens were quite peculiar.

Akihiko was always punching this little bag on a hook, calling it 'training'. I once overheard him repeating lines from a book, in order to work on his charm on women, before going back to hitting the bag again.

Ken, the littlest human in the Dorm, hung around. He liked playing ball with me at the Shrine, which he went to often himself. "My mom used to bring me here…" he said to me once. Understanding his loss, I licked his hand in comfort.

Yukari was nice… but not a good cook. She once tried giving me a meal she burned- afterwards she decided someone else should feed me. Trust me, it's a problem when even a dog won't eat your meals. Junpei kept picking on her for it.

As for him, I sensed a lot of enthusiasm. Somehow he was always managing to get others to laugh. As a dog, I couldn't laugh, but I could show it with my wagging tail and happy yips. He let me sleep in his room most nights- it was fun, his room was so messy anything could be hidden in there!

Then there was Mitsuru, who I suppose was the 'Alpha-female' of the group. Despite her stern, organized behavior, she had a soft heart. She gave me 'gourmet doggy treats', claiming they were good for my mandibles, and often had someone come in to groom me once a week. The only problem I had with her was she wouldn't let me up on the furniture (Well, fine. Then I won't fetch her slippers!)

Fuuka was the sweetest. She always gave me belly-rubs, bought me squeak-toys, and pet me every chance she got. She was quite shy, and I could tell she was uneasy around strangers. …She had nothing to worry about. If someone tried to hurt her, they would face the wrath of a angry hound.

Then I met Aigis. She was supposed to play as a 'robot', but when the cameras were off she was as nice and kind as the rest of the girls. She took me on walks most, being quite attached. I introduced her to some of my stray friends. They took a liking to her- and later ended up getting a spot on-camera. Heh, my pals always wanted to be like Lassie, I guess.

Shinjiro… well, to anyone else he was your basic tough-guy. No nonsense, moody, and could knock you out with a headbutt… But when it was just us, he was as lovable as a teddybear- and I think I'm the only one who can get away with saying that. He's a closeted animal-lover; he bought me dog-food, and once fried me up some hamburgers, rubbing my face when they were too hot in order to help me get over the minor pain. …He let me on the couch too, when Mitsuru wasn't around. (Best. Human. Ever!)

Also there were the Arisato twins, Makoto and Yuki. Makoto took me to the Shrine on most nights, Yuki on others. I guess it's safe to say I stuck around the Dorm- free food, warm beds to sleep on, and a bunch of teens who took great care of me. The Arisato twins, plus company, made sure to take me to the Shrine often- just so I could make sure no more vandals came back.

But, my new luxury included more. I had to do 'battle scenes', being trained to carry a fake knife in my mouth. I learned quick, and followed the teens around this 'Tartarus' building, attacking these 'props' that looked like weird monsters. I also had to howl once in a while, which I didn't quite understand.

One day we watched some footage… and I couldn't believe it! On the screen it looked like I was actually attacking real monsters, or summoning this three-headed dog that did these special tricks! I heard these were called 'special effects', but damn! I looked awesome!

Time went by, and I found myself quite attached to the group. Some nights, I wouldn't even feel like going to the Shrine.

When Akitaya said the game was 'complete'… well, everyone still stayed at the Dorm. It felt like a second home to everyone.

I sat at the Shrine. I wondered how my master would feel about the teens. He'd love them, I'm sure. He no doubt was glad someone was taking good care of his best friend.

…

Some time later, more scenes were added, as part of this 'Answer' story. I was introduced to Meits- Aigis' sister. Makoto and Yuki weren't part of it, but they hung out on the sidelines.

I don't recall much. I just knew I was paired up with Junpei and we had to fight Aigis and Metis.

…It wasn't easy. I felt I would be shaming my old master if I harmed one of my new caretakers. "It's alright, Koro-chan. You're not really hurting us. It's all pretend," Aigis assured me.

Still, it was a week before I was ready to go through with the scene. I felt better once Aigis and Metis showed me they were okay, telling me I was a 'good guard dog', joking that I put in more effort than Junpei, and all that.

Then… the Dorm had to be closed. It was going to be reopened as a new Dorm, with new students. The others were moving out after production.

I went back to the Shrine, down in spirits. I lied down, whimpering; my other dog friends dropped by, asking if I wanted to run around, but I was too downhearted. Even the boy on the bench stopped coming around like he used to…

…

"Hey, Koro-chan," came a voice the next day. Over walked Yuki. She knelt in front of me, rubbing my head. She gave me a bowl, filling it with water. "Here, this way you don't get too thirsty."

Next came Junpei, having another bowl- this one having a bone in it… with traces of ham on it! "What's up, Koromaru? Figured you'd like something to chew on." He said.

Next came Mitsuru and Akihiko. They brought a dog-house- with a cushion inside- and set it near the playground. "Here, this should me more comfortable- especially when it rains," Akihiko said.

Misturu put a tag on my collar. "This way you won't be sent to the pound. If anything happens, the clinic will notify us right away." She said, stroking my back.

Ken came by, bringing a new ball. "Wanna play fetch?" he asked, and I yipped in agreement.

Aigis, Metis, Fuuka, and Yukari came by, dropping off treats, squeak toys, and just giving me affection. "We should find you a girl dog to hang out with. Would you like that?" Yukari said with a wink.

Makoto came by next, with that 'Ryoji' kid who would drop by often. "How is he doing?" Ryoji asked.

"Pretty good. I bet he misses the Dorm though," Makoto said, rubbing my head. I barked in agreement.

As days went by… well… staying at the Shrine just wasn't as comfortable as the Dorm, despite everyone would drop by to visit, and other visitors would take time to pet me or give me treats.

But… it didn't feel like home.

…That changed a couple weeks later.

I was lying in the doghouse, when someone approached. From the scent, I shot up in excitement- it was my animal-loving buddy, Shinjiro.

"You know… you can't stay here forever." He told me bluntly. "I get it… you miss your master, and this place is a part of you. But what are you going to do when everyone graduates? Not everyone is going to keep giving you treats- you need a stable diet and constant companionship."

I sat there, looking at him, listening.

"…I have an apartment up the street. It's a small place, but it's close, so you can still run around here whenever you like. You up for it?"

I looked around the Shrine. I spent many dog-years here with my old master…

In truth… without him here, it never felt the same. It felt lonely.

But at the Dorm… with the teens… I felt like I was home again.

I would still come by and look after the Shrine for my master… but he'd want someone looking after me.

I stood up, wagging my tail and giving a yip, accepting Shinjiro's offer. "Alright. This way," he replied, walking down the steps. I followed at his side.

I was going home.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: I'm sorry for lack of detail. I'll include more 'Koromaru-based' chapters in the future to make up for it!

Just don't flame. …Shinjiro knows what car you drive.

Shinji: T_T

Koromaru: Yip! ^-^ *translation: reviews are welcome!*


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